Into the Darkness
by Angel of Fire SG1
Summary: Pete proposes and Sam goes to Jack for advice on what to do next, but Jack being Jack just makes the situation much worse. Now everything's gone wrong for Sam, could things possibly get any worse?...(J-S)COMPLETED
1. Prologue

**INTO THE DARKNESS**

**SEASON: **_Eight I suppose??_

**PAIRINGS_: _**_Sam/Jack…and Sam/Pete but DON'T WORRY_

**DISCLAIMER: **_its__ not mine…I don't think?_

**SPOILERS: **_Anything up till the end of season 7 and possibly minor spoilers for s8 opener_

**A/N: **_Excuse me if this sucks…or if it is rather strange weird I'm living on four hours of sleep which I woke up from 15 hours ago :D lol! But I had fun talking to people who been to Gatecon today (who I found a Buffy convention strangely enough lol) so I'm all stargated and I have to write something and this just popped into my head and…I'm writing now :D_

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**Prologue**

**----------**

"Excuse me?" Jack asked, dumbfounded.

He had been sitting in his office quietly, for once actually doing his paperwork. His desk was clean for once, he had decided that considering he was now General in charge of the base he might as well act like one…even if it was boring. Anyway he was perfectly happy (well bored really) doing his paperwork when Sam waltzed into his office and announced….

"Pete asked me to marry him," Sam repeated.

"And?" Jack asked.

"And…" Sam looked at him as if he should know what she was implying.

"Well…what did you say?" Jack couldn't help himself.

"You could say I haven't exactly replied yet…" Sam said.

"Oh…" Jack said, looking at his desk again. "That's…good. I mean, I'm happy for you…I mean that is if you…are you?"

Sam looked at him long and hard, as if trying to read his mind.

Well he wasn't gonna let her read his mind…not that she could, to his knowledge. He looked back at his paperwork and continued pretending to read it. His mind wasn't really there though. She couldn't marry PETE…she deserved much better than him. Like…Jack?

Jack frowned…that sounded kind of arrogant. He looked back up at Sam. She quickly looked at the wall next to her.

"So anyway, I just wanted to tell you…maybe get an opinion…if you have one…sir," Sam said.

It's not like you have a chance anyway Jack, a voice in his head told him. She might as well be happy – you're her CO there's no way you'll ever get that chance to be with her. The world comes first, and while the world's coming first you might as well let her get married to someone she loves.

If she loves him…

"Do you love him?" Jack regretted the words the moment they'd left his mouth, he winced as he said them.

"I…" Sam paused and looked back at him. "Yes."

"Well it's your decision," Jack said. "Choose whatever you think will make you happy."

"Happy…" she repeated, sounding the exact opposite. "Right, I'm gonna go. Thanks for all the help, sir."

She turned around and left, bumping into Daniel on her way out. Without apologizing she stormed away angrily, Daniel looked extremely confused.

"She looks…" Daniel started.

"Peeved off?" Jack said.

"You could say that…" Daniel said. "So what happened? You tell her she can't work on every science project in the place?"

"I told her to get married," Jack replied, not looking up from his paper.

"You…proposed?" Daniel looked confused.

"No, Pete did," Jack replied, looking at him.

"Oh…oh…" Daniel said. "That's…good?"

"For her," Jack said coldly.

"Well then say something to her Jack," Daniel replied, sitting down.

"I can't," Jack replied. "Being General of this base I think I have to…follow at least a few of the rules…besides – she'd never break any rules."

"I dunno about that Jack," Daniel replied.

"She doesn't love him," Jack said blatantly.

"Do you?" Daniel asked.

Jack glared at him but didn't reply.

"Ok nevermind," Daniel said. "I'm gonna go…do something…"

"See ya around," Jack said.

-------

"He is so THICK!" Sam almost growled. "Aah! I don't know what I'm supposed to do!"

"Maybe you should converse with O'Neill," Teal'c said.

"I…you…I didn't tell you who I was talking about," Sam said quieter, she stopped pacing the lengths of her office.

"It is quite obvious to myself and DanielJackson and probably most other employees of this base that you and O'Neill have feelings for each other," Teal'c replied.

"We…we do not," Sam said.

"I am not blind MajorCarter," Teal'c said, smiling slightly. "I believe you should talk about this properly with O'Neill."

"I can't," Sam sighed. "Thanks anyway Teal'c. He's such a _jerk_ sometimes! I gave him his chance! But he didn't take it."

Teal'c remained silent, but raised an eyebrow.

-------

"Hey Pete," Sam said, walking into her house to find her boyfriend sitting on the couch watching the TV.

She kissed him on the cheek and he smiled.

"Hey hun," he replied. "How was the day in the life of an SGC officer?"

"Horrible," she said, walking into the kitchen and putting her keys down.

The memories of Jack not seeming to care rose back within herself. Her feelings seemed to explode in her chest. She didn't need him – he didn't care anyway. She turned around to find Pete standing behind her.

"So…you come up with an answer yet?" Pete asked, grinning.

"Yes," Sam replied.

"And what is it?" Pete asked.

"I already answered that," with that she kissed him on the lips.

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**A/N: **_I know its short! But there's more coming!! PLEASE REVIEW!_


	2. Chapter One

**A/N: **_I'm very distressed right now – I just found out that someone in my household taped over 2001 and Desperate Measures!! breathes deeply I'm OK really I swear…just annoyed that I spent…TWO DAYS looking for them – and they were TAPED over…but its OK I'm gonna write fan fic and calm down…_

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**Chapter One**

****

"Sorry, sir."

Jack blinked from his position on the floor and looked up and the person he had just rammed into. It was Sam.

"Ah, Carter, hi…I was just coming to talk to you," Jack said, creasing his forehead because he couldn't even remember if he was going to talk to her, or if he was just thinking about it.

"About what, sir?" Sam asked, reaching her hand forward to help him up.

Jack blinked. There was something shiny reflecting light in his eyes and it was definitely coming from Sam's finger.

He coughed. "Ah…Carter…I take it you answered the question?"

It was her turn to blink. "What question?" she pulled him to his feet.

"The ah…" he looked at her hand, which was still intertwined with his.

"Oh…oh that," she pulled her hand away quickly and shoved her hands in her pockets. "I have to go."

"Me too," Jack said.

He moved left to walk past her at the same time she moved right and they end up blocking each other's way again.

"Sorry," Jack muttered and finally walked past her towards…the opposite direction to his office.

He had absolutely no idea where he was going, except that Sam was going the other way and to be dramatic he had to walk this way. He found himself standing in the doorway to an office.

"Jack?" Daniel asked.

Jack looked up, as if he'd just noticed where he was. Daniel's office was cluttered with artefacts of many ancient cultures, mainly Egyptian.

"I…" he stopped. "Can I sit down?"

"She said yes didn't she?" Daniel asked.

Jack ignored the question and sat down on the spare chair in the office. "What's this do?" he asked picking up a strange object sitting on Daniel's desk.

"It…doesn't do anything," Daniel replied. "It sits there."

"Or maybe that's cos you haven't tried to see if it does anything," Jack said, more to himself, turning the object upside down and shaking it.

"It's a decoration Jack…I bought it from a shop in Cairo," Daniel replied.

"Oh," Jack replied, putting it down and picking up another one. "What about this one?"

"It's a book," Daniel said. "SG-11 brought it back from an old Goa'uld colony. It's basically a Jaffa storybook for children."

"Oh," Jack said, putting that one down too. "Got anything I can read?"

"Books," Daniel replied, going back to his paperwork, Jack obviously wasn't going to say anything interesting.

"You think she even thought about saying no?" Jack asked.

Daniel slammed his book shut loudly.

"You know you really are thick," Daniel replied.

Jack stared at him for a long moment. "Yeah, you're right. How many years did I have to say something? And I just kept my mouth shut."

Daniel looked surprised. Jack never opened up, ever. He was as shut out to the world as anyone could possibly be. Daniel didn't know if that was just since Charlie's death or if Jack had always been like that. It was as if he'd blocked off the world and built up his own wall around him, not letting anyone inside his little wall. Although he knew on occasion Sam had been inside that little wall, possible Teal'c. But Daniel didn't think he'd ever be allowed to see through the wall.

"Uh…well, you did have your reasons?" Daniel suggested.

"Screw the regs," Jack replied. "Only reason I pay any attention to them is because I know she would respect them. Plus she wanted to leave it in then room."

Daniel didn't know what to say. So he stayed quiet, staring at Jack who was staring intently at Daniel's bookshelves.

"Although I mean it's not like she doesn't know," Jack said.

"Maybe she needs to hear it in words Jack," Daniel suggested.

Jack looked at him as if he'd smacked him with a pole.

"I…she…what? I can't…" Jack said.

"Why not?" Daniel asked.

"Regs," Jack replied abruptly.

"Jack you just said yourself that you didn't care bout…"

"I'm going now, bye Daniel, thanks for the help," Jack stood up and walked out.

Daniel sighed. For a brief second he'd been let into the shell of Jack O'Neill, but now he was standing outside it again. He watched Jack leaving his office and sighed.

"What're you doing here?" he heard a familiar feminine voice say from outside the office.

"I was just leaving," Jack replied, and Daniel heard his footsteps disappear.

Sam wandered in and sat down in the exact spot where Jack had been second earlier.

"You two have some talking to do," Daniel said, standing up and gathering his stuff.

"Where're you going?" Sam asked.

"Away," Daniel replied, walking out of his office.

-------

"They're driving me insane."

"I concur DanielJackson," Teal'c replied, taking a handful of popcorn.

"I mean can't they just _talk_ to _each other_ why do they have to talk to _me_?" Daniel also took a handful of popcorn.

Teal'c nodded and continued watching the TV.

"Why is Sam doing this?" Daniel asked no one in particular.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow and took another handful of popcorn.

"Because she believes she has no chance with Colonel O'Neill," Teal'c replied.

"Well…I suppose she doesn't in a wa…lets not talk about this…" Daniel turned back to the TV and began watching _The Empire Strikes Back._

The door bell rang. Teal'c turned and raised an eyebrow at Daniel. Daniel shrugged and got up, walking to his apartment door and opening it.

"Hi Daniel, have you seen T-man?" Jack asked.

Daniel looked at his couch where Teal'c was sitting, enthralled with the adventure's of Luke Skywalker for the hundredth time.

"Ah good," Jack said, wandering over and taking a beer out of the fridge.

"Come in," Daniel muttered to himself as he shut the door.

Jack made his way to the couch and sat down next to Teal'c.

"I'll just…sit on the floor then," Daniel muttered to himself again, as he grabbed a chair from the kitchen and pulled it into the TV area.

"What was that?" Jack asked.

"Nevermind," Daniel replied, sitting down.

They all fell silent. Daniel was getting extremely bored of having Star Wars marathons with Teal'c at least once a month, he turned and looked at Jack.

Jack wasn't watching the movie, he had a blank expression on his face and was staring at the floor consistently. Daniel sensed an emptiness to Jack, as if he was all alone in the world and had nowhere else to go.

------

"Hey Sam!"

Sam looked at the unexpected guest standing in her doorway and smiled. "Mark! What're you doing here?"

"Pete told me the good news," Mark Carter grinned back at his sister. "So you gonna invite me in or am I gonna have to stand on the front door all day?"

"Oh yeah, come in!" Sam replied.

"So, when's the wedding gonna be?" Mark asked, sitting down on her couch and looking around.

"Ah, we haven't set a definite date yet, but it'll be some time in August," Sam replied.

"Ah autumn leaves," Mark smiled. "I'm so happy for you Sam, it's about time you found yourself someone to settle down with!"

She smiled slightly and sat down next to him. "Yeah I guess so."

"You don't seem so happy?" Mark observed.

"I am, it's just that I had a fight with my CO at work and it's just making me feel, like crap," Sam said. "Well it wasn't even a fight…it was…never mind."

Mark looked at her curiously. If he'd been Teal'c he would've raised an eyebrow, but it wasn't Teal'c, it was her brother. Sam looked at the brother she'd barley had contact with since the SGC began. Suddenly she felt awkward sitting there with him. There was so much about her life he didn't know. So much she could never tell him.

She shrugged away the thought and smiled at him.

"You want a drink?" she asked.

"Yep, thanks," he replied.

Sam stood up to go to the kitchen when her doorbell rang again. She looked surprised at her seeming popularity and walked over to the door pulling it open.

"Dad!" she said, her surprise tripling. "I didn't know you were on…around…"

"Congratulations!" he said, hugging her. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks! Ah, how'd you find out?" Sam asked.

"Jack called me," he replied.

"Oh, oh I see," Sam replied. "Ah, come in, I was just getting Mark something to drink."

Jacob looked at his son and smiled. "Hey Mark, how you been?"

"I've been good," Mark replied, standing up and shaking his father's hand.

It was only the second time since Sam had left home that her brother and dad had talked to each other. She walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge, then noticed a flashing red light on her answering machine.

When had that happened?

She pressed the button and listened to it while she was getting beers for her family. Family? This was the first time they'd been together for four years in the same house. And the strange thing was they were more of a family now than they had ever been…

"Hey Carter," came the familiar voice from the answer machine, sounding slightly more enthusiastic than he had been the day before when she'd run into him at Daniel's office. "I just rang to say that Dad's on his way. And I wanted you to know that I'm happy for you…really I am…and I ah…yes…well I'll be going…see ya round."

Click

Sam stared at the answer machine. She suddenly felt a longing to be with Daniel, Teal'c and most of all Jack. She looked back at the kitchen where her brother and dad were seemingly deep in conversation.

Funny how Mark had no idea he was talking to someone who had an alien inside his head and lived on another planet. Sam smiled slightly and walked back, three beers in her hands.

"The Colonel left a message telling me you were on your way this morning, I dunno why I didn't get it," Sam said.

Mark looked at her strangely. "Why would this Colonel have to pass along the message? Why couldn't Dad just ring you himself? Speaking of Dad, how come I don't have your phone number?"

Sam looked at her dad.

"Mark, there's something I have to tell you," Jacob said.

Sam looked surprised. He wasn't going to tell Mark about the SGC was he? No he wouldn't do that…then what…?

"I've been recalled to active duty for the past four years and I'm working on a top secret military base," Jacob said. "I live on base and I can't be contacted there unless…you're in the Air Force and have the qualifications."

Mark gawked at him. "So I can't contact you?"

"No but Sam can," Jacob replied.

"So why didn't she?" Mark asked, looking at Sam.

"Good question," Jacob agreed, looking at Sam. "Why didn't you contact me?"

"I was going to," Sam replied. "I just hadn't got around to it yet."

"Have you been on base?" Jacob asked.

"Ah…yeah," Sam said. "But I got away as fast a possible…"

"Because of Jack?" Jacob asked.

"I…uh…no…I just…I…" Sam looked at her beer. "Cake anyone?"

"Sam…" Jacob said in a warning tone.

"Who's Jack?" Mark asked, looking confused.

"_Colonel O'Neill_ is my CO," Sam replied. "And if you'd excuse me I'm going to get some cake."

With that she stood up and walked to the kitchen. She had just made it extremely obvious why she was upset. She leaned against her kitchen bench, then kicked it extremely hard.

Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

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**A/N: **_Sorry bout the wait!! Please REVIEW!!_


	3. Chapter Two

**A/N: **_I'm warning u I'm in a sad & evil mood…lol!! Ooh did everyone see the Lowdown? Where Richard Dean Anderson said and I quote "__I dunno that much about Pete to be honest with you. Apprently he's no threat to O'Neill!" thought that was cool___

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**Chapter Two**

****

Sam yawned and rolled over in her bed, looking at Pete. He was fast asleep, the way he had been by the time she got home. She reasoned that the only way she could ever possibly be with someone was if they knew about the SGC. Pete knew, that was perfect. It was all perfect. He was sweet, and nice, and caring, and smart, and understanding, and he knew about the SGC, and he got on well enough with Daniel and Teal'c, and he was a friend of her brother's…everything fitted perfectly. There was just one problem.

Brigadier General Jack O'Neill...who to her would always be "Colonel"

She rolled back over and stared out the window at the stars shining. OK so maybe Pete didn't understand _completely_ what she went through everyday. He hadn't shared 7 years worth of adventures with her, he hadn't seen what she'd seen, gone through what she'd gone through, been tortured to the darkest possible places of her own mind…

She blinked. Now what was she thinking about? What she hadn't been through with Pete, or what she had been through with…

No…

She was marrying Pete and she was happy about that…

Right?

Of course she was.

_Go to sleep Sam_, she told herself.

She found herself drifting to sleep, memories of the past seven years flooding into her mind. Good, bad and indifferent…till finally she came across a memory she always tried to forget.

_The forcefield shimmered as Sam watched her Commanding Officer pull apart the control board that should control it. It was the only thing standing in her way of freedom, of life, of him…and it wasn't even visible to her except for the occasional shimmer._

_"Sir there's no time," Sam shouted, wanting him to leave._

_She could never live with herself if he was there, dying, because she was dying…not that she would be living if she was dead…Jack stood back from hitting the control board and looked behind her, she turned to see what he was looking at. Nothing was coming…yet…but she knew that something soon would be._

_She could hear the stomping of the __Jaffa__ as well as he could, probably better considering there was no forceshield in between herself and the noise._

_Suddenly, as if with renewed energy Jack began hitting the forceshield again, harder than before. Sam knew there was no point, it wasn't a solid object, it couldn't be beaten down._

_But__ she admired him for trying…_

_"Sir…" she said in a warning voice, wanting him to leave, right now._

_"I know! I know!" he said, continuing the hit the forcefield._

_Why did he have to be so god damn stubborn? Why couldn't he just _go?_ He'd do it for anyone he cared about in the slightest, he was so stubborn and pigheaded. As if him dying here so he didn't leave her would be doing anyone any good…_

_"Sir, just GO!" she said._

_"NO!" _

_His eyes met hers. Suddenly she understood. She understood why he wouldn't leave, why he'd rather stay there and die than let her die all alone. She knew she was begging him with her eyes, begging him to leave. He wasn't going to die, not because of her. Not now. Not ever!_

_She wanted to scream at him, shout, tell him to leave. But somehow she couldn't open her mouth. She was caught in the moment, staring into his eyes, knowing he would stand by her side until his…or her…last moment. _

_And then__ she felt thankful. Not because he was being stupid enough to stay here and die with her, but that she'd had the opportunity to know he felt the same before she died._

_"I didn't leave, because I'd rather die myself…than loose Carter," his voice echoed in her memory._

_"Why?" Anise._

_"Because I care about her," his eyes shifted to hers. "A lot more than I'm supposed to…"_

Sam sat directly up in bed. Pete sat up next to her.

"What? Is there someone in the house? Is everything OK?" he asked.

"It's fine," she replied. "Just had a strange dream."

"You sure you're fine?" Pete asked.

"Yep," Sam replied, forcing a smile. "Sorry I couldn't be home earlier tonight, I was off-world, we got caught up in some diplomatic relation problems."

"It's all good," Pete said, kissing her quickly. "Go back to sleep."

Sam nodded and lay her head back down on the pillow. She decided not to go back to sleep, instead she lay gazing at the stars outside her window.

-------------

"Carter?"

Sam could swear she heard the Colonel. But how could he be here? In her dreams? Oh well that wasn't actually really anything unusual…

"Carter?" the voice came again.

She looked up.

"Carter…the commissary probably isn't the most comfortable place for sleeping," he said, looking at her in his Jack O'Neill manor.

"Huh?" she sat up straight. "Holy Hannah…I was just eating quickly before the bri…I missed the briefing! Sir I'm so sorry!"

She stood up, pushing her seat backwards so fast it fell over.

"It's ok Carter, really its fine, sit down," he said, sitting down opposite her.

She picked up her chair and sat back down, staring at her cold oatmeal.

"You know if you're still hungry we could go out for lunch?" Jack suggested.

She looked at him in surprise. "Uh, is it lunchtime?" then as an afterthought she added a "sir"

"Fourteen hundred hours, Carter," Jack said.

"Oh," she said.

"Didn't sleep last night?" he asked.

"Was having a small problem with that…but I think I caught up," she smiled at him.

He smiled back, the first smile they had exchanged since, the incident.

"Did you get my message?" Jack asked, wincing as he said it.

"Yeah, thanks," she said. "I happened to have Mark over at the time when Dad turned up…which was a strange experience. But nice to feel like a family for once."

"Family's a strange thing," Jack said, wincing again. "I'm sorry…"

"It's OK, sir," she replied.

"So…lunch?" he asked.

She stared at him for a moment. He had never in his life invited her to lunch. Why was he asking now? OK she knew the answer to that…he either wanted to talk to her and make her feel better or he wanted to talk her out of marrying Pete…

"Sir you're not allowed to leave the base in the middle of the day…" Sam reminded him.

"D'oh," he replied, grinning. "Well I suppose we'll have to settle for mess food."

He stood up and walked over to get food for his lunch. Sam smiled to herself as he opened the desert section and pulled out a red and a blue jello, placing them on his tray and walking back over.

"Let's start with desert and work our way backwards," he suggested, sitting back down and handing her the blue jello.

She smiled, happier than she had been in a long time.

---

Jack sat watching her eat the blue jello, the engagement ring sparkling still on her finger. OK so this wasn't the ideal time to realise exactly how much he cared about her, but it wasn't too late…yet…right?

Wrong.

He prodded his red jello thoughtfully.

"Sir, are you gonna eat that?" she asked.

"I think so," he said.

"You're indecisive today aren't you?" Sam said.

Indecisive…but not just today. Maybe he should've just said something a long time ago. Well he couldn't could he, being her CO and all. And now it was even worse, instead of her being 2IC in his team – she was still 2IC to him, except now it was of the entire SGC…the Earth's first line of defence.

Great situation.

Why did it have to be her? Anyone else but her would be fine. Unless they worked in the SGC…that wouldn't work either, cos then they'd still be under his command.

Maybe he should just retire. No wait he couldn't…he'd just been promoted to commander of earth's first line of defence.

Stupid position.

"So, Carter, when's the wedding?" he asked, regretting it immediately after.

"We're thinking in the fall, Pete wants it on September 4th, his mother's birthday," Sam replied.

He felt a pang of hurt. She didn't know _his_ mother's birthday, which just happened to be the same day.

"Sounds great," he forced a smile.

'I would invite you to be my matron of honour, but usually they have to be female," Sam smiled, a sincere smile.

She meant it.

"I appreciate that," Jack replied.

She shrugged. "You know who I would have…if she was around. It sucks that everyone I care enough about seems to fall away from me."

"I know the feeling," Jack said.

She looked up at him, her spoon carefully placed next to her empty cup of blue jello.

"Well lunch was nice, thank you, _sir,_" she emphasized the 'sir'. "But I have work to do."

And with that she was gone.

In so many ways…

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**A/N: **_So maybe not _too_ evil a mood!! Please REVIEW!! PLEAAASE!?_


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

****

_A Few Months Later_

"Catch."

Daniel looked up to have the packet of macaroni cheese wack him in the face.

"Thanks Jack," he said, picking the packet up off the ground and opening it. "Nice to have you here."

"Well Carter was busy, and someone had to lead your team…" Jack grinned. "Thought I'd take the chance while I had it."

"Have you got a suit yet?" Daniel asked, stirring his dinner.

"I have one in the cupboard," Jack replied, his happiness diminishing.

Teal'c glared at Daniel. Daniel decided to change the subject.

"You know Jack, now that you're in control of the SGC I would've thought we'd get food that didn't taste like chicken…when it's not," Daniel said.

"I can solve that problem," Jack chucked him a chicken leg. "Happy? It tastes like it's supposed to."

Daniel looked at the piece of chicken and decided that macaroni cheese looked like the better option for dinner. He handed the chicken to Teal'c who took it happily.

"Thank you DanielJackson," he said, eating it.

Jack screwed up his face. "You know if there's one thing about missions I don't miss, it's the food."

"Well you could try eating the locals food," Daniel suggested.

"I'll pass," Jack replied, prodding the fireplace with a stick, which consequentially caught fire.

Jack quickly threw it into the fire.

"Well this planet is exciting isn't it," Jack muttered. "So what're the big plans for tomorrow Daniel? Any Goa'uld's that need butt kicking…"

"No," Daniel replied.

"Things that need stealing?"

"No…"

"Carnival rides?" Jack sounded hopeful.

"O'Neill I believe there are no eventful things occurring on this planet," Teal'c replied before Daniel could say 'no'.

"Aw for crying out loud, there has to be something to do," Jack said. "My own chance to go offworld and I'm stuck…"

A loud bang sounded, a distance away from their campsite, towards the town.

"…on a boring…"

There was another explosion.

Now the explosion noise caught Jack's attention. "What is that?"

"I do not know," Teal'c replied.

"I don't think the villagers had any fireworks planned for tonight," Daniel told them.

"Thanks for that Daniel," Jack replied, standing up and grabbing his P-90. "Let's go."

Daniel chucked a bucket of water over the fire and the three of them moved silently into the trees, going to find out what the explosions were caused by. Jack felt at home now, walking through the trees, in the dark, holding his weapon ready for action…of course all of this had to be on another planet. He tried to remember why he'd taken the General job in the first place.

Because Daniel had told him he could do what he wanted.

And he liked doing what he wanted.

Right?

They reached the edge of the forest which was at the top of a large cliff, at the foot of the cliff was the village they had come to make a trade agreement with. They had naquadah much needed by the SGC. The whole trip had, of course, been Daniel's idea, not Jack's. Even though Sam had been bugging him for months about the low supplies of naquadah he hadn't really taken much notice of this planet until Daniel had suggested it.

"Jack look," Daniel pointed to the far end of the village.

Hanging above the cliff on the opposite side of the valley was a large spaceship of some kind.

"It is not Goa'uld," Teal'c announced. "Or any other species I have ever observed."

It fired another shot at the village and Jack noticed it wasn't shooting lasers like most other races they had encountered, it seemed to be shooting using some kind of invisible object, which slammed into the ground, taking anything in its way with it.

They all stood, frozen in awe, watching it for a few moments. Suddenly Jack switched into action mode and found his way to the path that lead down the cliff.

"Jack wait," Daniel said, following him, and Teal'c followed silently after him.

-----

"It looks beautiful Sam!" Cassie said, admiring her as she stood in front of the mirror.

"Thanks," Sam replied. "It was my mom's, I always wanted to wear it to my wedding."

"Yeah it's great," Cassie said.

Sam spun around to at her. "So, lunch?"

"Don't you have anything else to do?" Cassie asked.

Sam looked thoughtful for a moment. "No…"

"Nails?" Cassie asked.

Sam looked down at her fingers. What was wrong with her nails? They looked fine to her.

"They look like you've just come out of a battle Sam," Cassie informed her.

"Really? They look fine to me," Sam replied.

"Sam you're getting married in two days, I think you can allow yourself to get pampered," Cassie said. "Come on, we're getting your nails done."

Sam made a face but didn't complain. "Just let me get changed."

Cassie nodded and stepped outside the room while Sam got changed. She wandered into the kitchen area and looked at the photos on the kitchen counter. There was one of her and Pete sitting in a playground…apparently that had been the day he proposed. She moved onto the next picture, surprisingly it was of her with Mark and her Dad. It looked about four or five years old. She wondered why Sam never talked about her brother much? And only about her Dad when it was relating to work…

She shrugged and looked at the next picture. It was of SG-1, it looked like it had been taken offworld. Not because the picture made it look like it was offworld, in fact it looked exactly like Earth, strange how that happened huh? But they were dressed in their BDU's, the point-of-origin quite clearly stuck on Daniel and Teal'c's shoulders. Cassie smiled at her rescuers. If it wasn't for them she probably would've starved to death on her own planet years ago. She'd always felt a particular attachment to Sam, she still did.

The other person she'd always loved was Jack. He was a good 'uncle' to have when she was younger and now that she was eighteen he was a good friend. She picked up the photo of SG-1 and looked at Sam and Jack standing next to each other. Cassie had always been suspicious of their 'friendship'. Sometimes the way her mom had talked about them, or the way they talked about each other, or even acted around each other, gave off the distinct impression that they had feelings towards each other that were no entirely platonic.

But if Sam felt that way about Jack she wouldn't be marrying Pete…right?

"Ready," Sam said, walking into the room and picking up her keys off the table.

"What planet's this picture from?" Cassie asked, giving it to her.

As she did the frame seemed to slip open slightly and the picture…along with another piece of paper…fell out. Sam went to bend down and pick up, but Cassie was faster.

The second piece of paper was also a photo, except this one was of Sam and Jack only. It was just a normal picture, of two friends standing in front of some kind of village.

"Why is this hidden?" Cassie asked.

"Because there's a Stargate in the background," Sam said.

Cassie looked. OK there was a Stargate in the background. But was that really the reason?

She looked at Sam dubiously.

"Yeah right," she replied. "You coulda cut it out, it's right up the top corner. What's the real reason."

"That is the reason," Sam replied, grabbing the photo off her and shoving them both back into the frame. "Let's go. I just need to drop by the SGC and check something before we go."

She put the frame back on the kitchen bench and walked off quickly. Cassie sighed and followed her. There was definitely something more than friendship between her and the Colonel. Why wouldn't she realise it?

-----

"Daniel, get these people outta here!" Jack shouted back at him, firing at the spaceship.

All their efforts were to no avail. It was impossible to even make a dint in the thing using a P-90. Even Teal'c's staff weapon was useless.

"I do not believe we are of any help to these people," Teal'c said. "We would be better off retreating and taking these people back to Earth."

"I'm working on it," Jack said, firing at the ship again. "Daniel!"

"I'm working on it!" Daniel repeated his words back through the radio.

Jack heard the familiar 'whoosh' of the gate coming from Daniel's direction, and without looking knew that it had been activated.

"Teal'c go cover them," Jack said. "I'll stay here."

"I am not leaving you O'Neill," Teal'c replied.

"For crying out loud, I'll be there in a minute," Jack said. "Take these people and go to the gate, I'll bring the last lot in a minute."

Teal'c looked at him warily, but followed his orders. The villagers ran after him, they seemed more brave than the normal kind of people they ran into. Probably because it was an entire village of warriors.

Jack ran towards the final group of villagers, who were hiding beneath a large rock building which looked something like an ancient cinema.

"Come with me," he shouted.

Their leader shook his head. "We stay and fight."

"No, you come with me," Jack shouted back.

"We will fight for our home land," he continued.

"For crying out loud, by the time these guys are through with you you'll have no homeland," Jack said.

"We are not leaving," he said.

"Fine," Jack replied. "But don't blame me when you're all dead."  
He ran across the main street towards the Stargate.

Daniel turned around just in time to see a large light beam sweep over Jack…and see Jack disappear.

"JACK!" Daniel shouted.

"O'NEILL!" Teal'c said at the same time.

----

Teal'c and Daniel both walked down the ramp on the other side. Surprisingly they saw Sam…and Cassie?...standing in the control room. Daniel saw Sam say something to the chevron guy and then she walked down into the gate room.

"Where's General O'Neill?" she asked, the smile suddenly disappearing off her face.

Daniel looked at her, not wanting to be the one to tell her.

"He was abducted by an unknown species," Teal'c replied.

Her face went blank, much in the same way Jack's did when he knew he couldn't show emotion.

"Well then we'll have to find him," Sam said.

"Sam what about your wedding?" Daniel asked. "You go have fun, we'll find him."

"No…" Sam said. "If General O'Neill's not there than there is no wedding."

She turned around and walked out of the Gateroom. Cassie shared a knowing look with Daniel and Teal'c watched her go, the same knowing look playing on his face.

==================================================

**A/N: **_Sorry its been a while, start of school again!! But here I gave you a big long chapter :D PLEASE REVIEW!! It keeps me happy during the long hours of school…_


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N: **_Well I'm watching the Stargate movie…and I'm having like the worst week of my life, so I've decided to write another chapter_

_Thanks so much for the reviews__, they make me happier :)_

**===============================================**

**Chapter Four**

****

"Sir we have to go after him," Sam looked the base's ex-CO in the eye.

General Hammond looked away. "Colonel right now that's completely out of my control. With General O'Neill gone I know you're the CO of the SGC, but this has been taken out of your hands."

"Sir?" Sam said questioningly, her eyes widening, Hammond knew she was trying her hardest not to cry.

"They've sent me to take charge of the base until a new leader can be found," Hammond told her.

"What? I thought I was…" she stopped and breathed in deeply. "Sir, I believe I am still in charge of the SGC."

"Not anymore Colonel," Hammond said. "The President believes that you are too emotionally involved to take over at this point in time…and I agree with him."

Sam stared at him blankly, no emotion showing on her face. "We have to find him, General."

"Colonel we know absolutely nothing about these aliens," Hammond said. "We don't even know where to start looking."

"Well someone might, somewhere out there in that galaxy, someone will know…we just have to find them," Sam pleaded. "Please General…"

"Take a few days off Colonel…I'll see what I can do," Hammond replied. "I know what he means to you."

"What he means to everyone, sir," Sam replied…too quickly.

Hammond nodded, "I'm ordering you off the base…spend some time with Pete…find another date for the wedding."

Sam nodded.

"Dismissed," he said.

"I just have to get some stuff from General O'Neill office that I left there," she said quietly.

"Go ahead," Hammond said.

She walked away from him, into Jack's office. She shut the door behind her, subconsciously. Looking around the office she walked to the desk where she had left her folder. She picked it up, but stopped.

_Brigadier General Jack O'Neill_

The words from the name plate jumped out at her. He was gone and she couldn't do anything, they wouldn't _let_ her do anything. And she'd been about to marry Pete? How could she have…

Because she loved Pete and she was _still_ going to marry him. Just not this Saturday, she reminded herself.

But the General…what if they never found him?

What if he was announced MIA?

Then what?

She couldn't have a wedding without him there. She wouldn't…

Would she?

She found herself sitting in his chair. It still smelt like him, the smell surrounding her. If she closed her eyes she could almost pretend he was there. Except if he was there, she wouldn't be sitting in that chair, and he would be making some kind of wise crack.

Actually the past few months their relationship had been strained, awkward. Ever since…ever since Pete had proposed. She remembered the cold look that had come over his eyes at the engagement party. He'd eventually walked out…

_"Sir!"__ Sam called after him._

_He turned around to face her. "Why aren't you back inside with your beloved fiancé?"_

_"Where're you going?" she asked, walking down the steps and stopping in front of him. _

_"I was thinking the fish market…at least then it looks like I've caught something right?" he grinned at her, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. It was a fake smile._

_The corners of her mouth twitched slightly, the edges of a smile emerging. "Going fishing anytime soon, sir?"_

_"Coming with me anytime soon Carter?" he replied._

_She took that as a no…_

_"Well I'll be off," Jack said. "Have a great night Carter."_

_With that he turned and walked towards his car, jingling his keys in his hand_

_"Jack," she called after him. "Please don't leave."_

_He stopped and turned to face her. There was no emotion on his face, it was like trying to read off a blank wall._

_"It's too late Sam," he said quietly. "I spent too long doing nothing, and now that's exactly what I have. Nothing…"_

_He turned around and jerked open his car door. He got inside and turned on the engine, leaving as fast as he could. Sam watched him screech off, dust from the driveway billowing in clouds behind him._

_"ColonelCarter, are you planning on returning to the celebrations?"_

_She didn't turned around. A tear fell down her cheek. She wanted him to be happy for her, why wasn't he happy? _

_Stupid question, she knew the answer to that._

_"ColonelCarter?"_

_Teal'c's voice was closer now. Suddenly she felt an arm around her shoulder._

_"I am sure O'Neill will understand in time why this has to be done," Teal'c said._

_Sam completely broke down into tears. "No…because it doesn't _have_ to be done…maybe I'm just being stupid…"_

_"He is happy for you," Teal'c told her. "He just needs time."_

_Sam wasn't so sure. She watched the dust still settling back to the earth where it had come from. _

"Colonel?"

"Coming," she replied, grabbing her folder and walking quickly out of the office.

**===============================================**

**A/N: **_Ok I know its short but I'm so unbelievably tired I cant think of anything else to write right now…more coming…please review it cheers me up_


	6. Chapter Five

**A/N: **_Sorry on the slight delay of update lol, I started writing an Atlantis fic last night cos I wanted to see if I could lol!! But I started writing more of this today in physics…I mean I was paying COMPLETE attention to my _fantastic_ teacher! Anywayz on with the story! (I have a storyline now lol!!)_

**===============================================**

**Chapter Five**

****

Jack threw the small ball against the wall opposite him. He'd been stuck in the small, grey, bland room…well he didn't even know how long he'd been there. But he'd been beamed from the planet they'd been on directly into this room. He didn't know who…or what…had decided this was a good idea, but they'd left him fully armed and hadn't even come to talk to him.

He'd tried shooting the wall, but it was shielded. He'd decided to leave a couple of rounds for when whoever had trapped him here came by to say hi.

The ball, which he'd found in his pocket, was fun to bounce against the wall though. He'd perfected it. Actually it was getting kinda tedious and boring.

"Oh for crying out loud," he muttered, standing up. "HELLO!? I'm BORED! IF YOU'RE GOING TO PROBE ME OR SOMETHING JUST GET IT OVER AND D…"

He suddenly found himself in another room, his weapons & bouncy ball gone.

"Damn…" he said, looking around him. "This wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Be quiet."

Jack spun around. The room was dark and he couldn't see anything, but the voice seemed to come from all directions.

"I think you've been watching too much Wizard of Oz…" Jack said.

"Do you not understand my words young one?"

Jack spun around again. Now the voice was coming from behind him. "Stop it, its freaky!"

"Would this be better?"

A figure appeared next to him. She looked around twenty-something and had light brown hair which hung around her shoulders, it was wavy, but not curly. Her eyes were brown, in fact Jack felt as if he were staring into his own eyes.

"Who're you?" he asked.

"Whoever you wish me to be," the girl replied. "I have formed an image of what your daughter would most likely look like. I figured it would be easier if I took a form you could relate to, parents like relating to their children and I did not want to form the image of your son…"

Jack's face went blank for a short moment before he spoke again. "What makes you think if I had a daughter she would look like you?"

"I took the image of your preferred lover and yourself and melded them together, this is one of the options I came up with," the girl smiled.

"Preferred lover?" Jack looked disbelieving.

"I believe you call her Carter," the girl replied.

"She isn't my 'preferred lover'!" Jack denied. "And who are you?"

"I cannot pronounce my name, not in a way in which you could comprehend," the girl said.

"Try me," Jack replied.

A soft, yet loud, ear wrenching noise entered his head. He covered his ears and moved away from her.

"STOP IT!" he shouted.

The noise abruptly stopped.

"I am offended you find my name so horrible," the girl said.

"Yeah well, it wasn't exactly music to my ears," Jack responded. "How about I call you something else?"

"Like what?" the girl looked curious.

"I dunno…" Jack said. "How about Grace?"

"Grace…I like that name," the girl replied. "Hello Jack I am Grace. We can start now."

"Start what exactly?" Jack asked.

===

"What do you mean 'its off'?" Pete asked.

"I can't do it Pete, not right now," Sam replied, sitting down next to him.

"So its just postponed?" Pete asked.

Sam nodded, creasing here forehead as she did so. It was just postponed till they found General O'Neill…right? She wasn't so sure of that, but she didn't feel like dealing with the question right now.

"What happened?" Pete asked. "You were all happy this morning when you rang and told me Cassie was taking you for a nail job!"

"General O'Neill's missing," Sam replied.

"Oh...offworld?" Pete asked.

Sam nodded slightly. "Some alien species we know nothing about."

"That's not good…" Pete said. "So why aren't you out there looking for him?"

"Got ordered off-base," Sam sighed. "I'll think of something."

She suddenly burst into tears and leaned into Pete. He put his arms around her.

"I'm sorry Sam," Pete said. "I'm sorry I can't help."

Sam didn't reply. He couldn't help, he couldn't even make her feel better. He wasn't Jack. He would never be Jack.

===

"Getting to know each other," Grace replied. "Come, I'll show you where I work."

Suddenly they were in a hallway, resembling that of the SGC. Actually, it was the SGC. Jack paused and looked around.

"After eight years I should be used to this," he muttered.

"Follow me," Grace said, walking swiftly away.

She lead him around the corner and he suddenly found himself in the even more familiar hallway. Grace turned and walked into Sam's lab. Jack stopped still outside.

"Why are you taking me in here?" he asked, cautiously.

"To show you where I work," Grace smiled at him.

"Thanks, but no thanks. This is Carter's lab," he said.

"It was once, but Mom's retired now," Grace said.

Jack waved his hands in front of him. "Stop. We are _not_ in the future, you aren't even real, we're not in the SGC and would you please not refer to Carter as 'Mom'?"

They were back in the black room.

"You do not want to see my lab," Grace said, looking offended. "So what do you want to do?"

"Uh, wanna try going home?" Jack asked.

"I can't do that," Grace replied. "So what do you want to do?"

"I told you I wanna go home," Jack replied. "Where the hell are we?"

"In the Milky Way galaxy," Grace smiled. "It's a spiral galaxy you know?"

"I did know," Jack replied. "But thanks for sharing, really."

"Do you want to talk?" Grace asked.

"Not particularly," Jack said.

"Why not?" Grace persisted.

"Because I don't know what you are, but you're not human, and you're definitely not my daughter," Jack said. "Now either let me go or put me back in my cell!"

"I cannot do that."

Jack stopped, frozen in his spot.

Grace was no longer a 20 year old girl. Now the image in front of him appeared to be a boy of around 18. Even though Jack had never seen him at that age, he knew straight away who it was…

"Charlie…" Jack whispered.

"Hi Dad."

**===============================================**

**A/N: **_Tada!__ I know Pete seemed nice, but really I'm sure Pete ain't a bad guy. He's just not Jack! :D PLEASE REVIEW!! There's more coming I swear…lol_


	7. Chapter Six

**A/N: **_Hmm, I'm in a really weird mood…so lol…I dunno what's gonna come out of this today! But here we go anywayz…_

**===============================================**

****

**Chapter Six**

****

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"  
General Johnson had asked her three times before he'd finally agreed to let them offworld. They had found a new CO for the base extremely quickly, as if they'd already given up hope. Sam had convinced the new General that it was necessary for them to continue with normal procedures while they were trying to gather information on where General O'Neill was.

"SG-1, you have a go," General Johnson announced.

Sam held back an expression she'd been about to use. That wasn't his saying to use. Hammond had always said it, and since Jack had become General he'd been using it as well. But General Johnson had no right.

Sam stepped onto the ramp, aware of the two remaining members of SG-1 on either side of her, and walked silently up to the wormhole. Teal'c and Daniel walked through the gate but she paused for a moment.

-

_"Captain?" she heard the Colonel said._

_"Don't worry Colonel, I won't let you down," she replied rigidly, not wanting him to think she was any less than him just cos he was a man._

_"Good," he said._

_She'd__ guessed correctly of course._

_"I was gonna say 'ladies first'," he continued._

_Or__ not…_

_Colonel O'Neill walked past her onto the ramp and towards the Stargate; she caught up with him. What had she ever done to him? He'd instantly disliked her just because she was a scientist. What had scientists ever done to him to make him like this?_

_"You know, you really will like me when you get to know me," she told him._

_"Oh, I adore you already Captain," he replied._

_She couldn't tell if it was sarcastic or not, so she chose not to respond. She didn't have to spend long not responding though, she suddenly realise exactly how close they were standing to the event horizon._

_"My God…" she said quietly. "Look at this! The energy the __Gate must release to create a stable wormhole is - is astronomical, to use exactly the right word."_

_She reached out and touched it, fascinated._

_"You can actually see the fluctuations in the event horizon…" she marvelled._

_Suddenly she felt herself being pushed through the Stargate, she knew it was the Colonel who'd pushed her through…_

_-_

Jack looked up from the memory. Charlie was standing in front of him. He'd spent the first two days or so playing nice, trying to get information out of Jack in the more pleasant way. Now it seemed the aliens had gotten annoyed and had just decided to pull the memories from his brain and record them.

"Why are you doing this?" Jack asked.

"We are gathering information," Charlie replied.

"For what?" Jack asked, sounding like his usual narky self.

"We are explorers, as are you," Charlie said.

The image had swapped between Charlie and Grace for the past few days. Jack had watched intently for a sign of how to get out of the place, but there was no way of doing so.

"Shall we take another memory?" Charlie grinned evilly and Jack looked away.

He couldn't watch him like this. It wasn't him, he kept reminding himself. It's not Charlie.

"Lets pick a year," Charlie put his hand on Jack's chin and pulled his face back to face his. "Shall we?"

Jack avoided looking into his eyes.

"Look at me," Charlie ordered, but the voice was not his own, there was another tone below his normal one.

For a moment Jack thought he sounded like a Goa'uld, but it was different from the normal Goa'uld voice. Jack's eyes met Charlie's, and he glared at him. Caught in Charlie's gaze Jack could no longer move his eyes away, he suddenly felt himself falling back into the memory of yet another event…

-

_Jack stood in the hospital ward, staring at the young boy lying on the emergency bed in front of him._

_"Is he going to be OK?" Sara O'Neill grabbed the shoulder of one of the nurses._

_She stared back at Sara, but didn't respond. She pulled her shoulder away and ran off to get something._

_Suddenly the mass of doctors and nurses dispersed, a look of resign on the main doctors face._

_"Don't you dare tell me he's dead," Jack said suddenly, bursting forwards and finding himself at Sara's side. _

_"I'm sorry there was nothing we could do…" the doctor said quietly._

_Jack grabbed him by the collar. "Well then find something you can do. He's not dead!"_

_"He's been dead for an hour," the doctor replied. "We just took him off life-support."_

_"No you didn't, put it back on," Jack ordered, pulling his collar closer to him._

_The doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry."_

_Jack heard Sara sob from next to him and looked at her. She was staring at Charlie's dead body lying on the bed. He let go of the doctor, pushing him away and hugged Sara._

_This was his fault. He'd done this._

_She shook him off._

_He let her_

_"I told you we shouldn't have left that thing in the house," Sara said, coldly._

_Jack didn't say anything. What could he say? It was his fault, he'd killed his own son, even if it was an accident. Suddenly the memories of every person he'd ever shoot or killed came back to him. Those people all had families, parents who cared about them. He'd killed them too._

_He was a killer._

_-_

Suddenly older Charlie's face became visible to him again, the evil smile had disappeared from his face.

"Don't. Ever. Show. Me. That. Again," Jack said slowly.

He was shaking, the memories all too much for him to mentally or physically hold at that moment. He pulled himself to his feet and looked Charlie, or whatever he was, in the eye.

"I am sorry," Charlie whispered.

Jack didn't reply, but turned around and walked off into the darkness surrounding him.

Charlie let him leave.

----------

"Sam!" Daniel called, dumping the armful of firewood on the ground next to his tent.

The sun was setting but it wasn't quit dark yet. Him and Teal'c had been searching for good firewood for hours. It had been raining heavily and all the wood nearby was wet, but they had eventually found some sheltered by a tree.

"ColonelCarter," Teal'c called.

They both waited.

No reply.

Suddenly through the silent night they heard the familiar noise of the Stargate engaging a chevron.

"Oh sh…" Daniel ran off towards the gate, Teal'c on his tail.

They reached the gate just in time to see Sam walked up the steps.

"Sam!" Daniel shouted. "Don't, we'll get him back some other way."

She turned slightly and stared at him. "No we won't…I have to do this Daniel."

She stepped through the gate. Daniel ran to the DHD where Teal'c was already standing.

"You remember the sequence?" Daniel asked.

Teal'c nodded astutely. "Indeed."

"We're going too," Daniel said.

They headed back to base camp to pack up.

---

Sam found herself standing in the middle of the village, in the same spot she had seen General O'Neill abducted from a week or so before hand. She bent over to tie her shoelace up properly and noticed something glinting under the mud next to her foot. She moved the mud away and picked it up.

It was one of Jack's dogtags.

Again the words haunted her.

_Brigadier General Jonathan O'Neill._

She placed it in her pocket and stood up again, looking around. Where could she possibly find out who those aliens were and where'd they'd gone?

"Not by standing here," she said to herself.

She was about to head into one of the village houses when she heard a call from behind her.

"Sam," the voice said calmly.

She turned to find Daniel and Teal'c standing behind her.

"We thought you could use some help," Daniel smiled.

"We can not be court marshalled," Teal'c smiled in his mysterious Jaffa way. "Therefore we can help you freely."

"Thanks guys," Sam said.

She turned around and saw a glint of something on top of the hill where the alien spaceship had first appeared.

The realisation sprung at her.

"They never left…" she whispered.

-----

"Your friends are on the planet."

The voice came from all around him again.

"I told you not to do that," Jack said, sounding annoyed.

Grace appeared before him again.

Jack jumped. "Or that! Don't…appear."

"I apologize," Grace replied.

"I told you they'd come," Jack said.

"They will be dealt with," Grace said.

"You'll kill me before you harm them," Jack replied instantly.

"Yes, we will," Grace met his eyes. "To their eyes you will be dead."

==================================================

**A/N: **_Someone asked for longer chapters!! So this one's slightly longer than the last. But I really have to go out now lol…please review!! _


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

****

Sam reached forward with her P-90 and waved it through the invisible force shield.

"There's definitely something there," she said, stepping towards it.

"ColonelCarter, is that wise?" Teal'c cautioned her.

She looked at him. _I don't care,_ she thought to herself. "I know," she said out loud instead.

Then she stepped forward through the shield that hid her CO's capture's spaceship from her sight. On the other side she found herself standing, not outside the ship as she had expected, but directly inside it.

She stood there for a moment, expecting Teal'c and Daniel to come through after her, but they didn't.

She clicked her radio. "Teal'c? Daniel?"

She heard only a faint static noise. Neither of them replied. She walked back towards the forcefield wall and attempted to walk through it.

Nothing.

It was a blank wall, there was no way for her to get back. She breathed deeply and turned around to face the unfamiliar corridor. She would just have to worry about getting out of the ship after she'd rescued the General.

Suddenly from behind her she heard a loud burst of gunfire. She spun around.

"Daniel!? Teal'c!?" she shouted.

"CARTER!" the voice called.

"Sir!" She replied, running in the direction of the gunfire.

There wasn't another reply. Sam ran around the corner and found herself behind a line of six strange looking aliens, all firing at Jack, who was squatting behind a poll across the room she had just entered.

"General!" she shouted.

He looked at her, and as he did so his concentration faulted for a moment. A beam of whatever it was that came from their weapons, hit him directly in the chest.

Sam froze for a moment, watching him fall slowly to the ground.

Everything seemed to be going at half the speed it was a few seconds before.

"Nooo!" she shouted, finding her vocal chords.

The aliens all spun around and looked at her for a moment, before disappearing into what seemed like thin air.

She sprinted forward and landed on her knees next to Jack's fallen body.

"General," she shook him.

He didn't move.

"Jack, wake up," she whispered, still shaking him. "Don't…" her voice cracked, she was trying to hold back the tears. "Don't you dare be gone. Jack please wake up."

Nothing.

She stared at him for a long moment, the realisation that he was gone slowly creeping through her, till it hit the place it hurt the most. Her heart seemed to break into two, the tears seeping out from the corner of her eyes. She didn't want to cry, she was supposed to be a hardened military officer.

_Stop crying_, she told herself. But it didn't work. The tears weren't yet flowing freely, but they wouldn't stay inside either.

She breathed in deeply and reached for his neck, hoping to find a pulse.

_Maybe he's still alive,_ she thought, calming down slightly.

Nothing.

The tears were back, now they were falling down her face freely. She stood up, and holding her hands underneath his armpits, dragging him with her as she moved towards the spot where she had first entered the spaceship.

It took her a while, but she got there finally. She put her hand through the wall, it went right through this time.

She walked backwards through the forceshield, pulling Jack's body after her. She came out the other side…without Jack's body in her arms.

"No!" she said, trying to go back through.

It was solid again.

"LET ME IN!" she screamed at the wall, kicking it.

"Sam?" Daniel asked, quietly.

"LET ME THE HELL BACK YOU HEAR ME? YOU LET ME HAVE HIS BODY!" she screamed upwards, banging her fists on the force field.

Teal'c and Daniel both stood, staring at her, looking almost afraid.

"Sam…" Daniel repeated her name, but this time in a different manor.

She turned and stared at him.

Immediately he knew what had happened.

The coldness in her eyes told him everything.

Teal'c's face suddenly went completely stone blank, he knew as well. Teal'c's way of showing emotion was to not show any at all.

"They took him away from me…and now they won't even let me have his body!" she said loudly. "They…"

She burst into tears and fell to her knees, shaking.

Daniel looked shocked, he'd never seen Sam like this before. Teal'c seemed less surprised, but also did not know how to react.

"Sam, we have to report back to the SGC," Daniel said, trying to sound calm. "Otherwise they'll lock out our IDC…"

"It doesn't matter, there's nothi…" she took a deep breath and looked up. "You're right…"

Daniel held out his hand to help her up. But she ignored it and stood up by herself, then briskly walked back down the cliff towards the Stargate. Daniel and Teal'c followed silently.

--

Jack watched the image in front of him incredulously. He watched as Sam stood up, taking a deep, calming breath in, and walked as fast as she could back towards the Stargate.

He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

She thought he was dead.

She was gone, forever…

He would never see them again.

He felt the tears welling up behind his eyes, but he ignored them, pushing them back. He didn't cry. He wouldn't.

She deserved more than him anyway.

-----

General Johnson heard the alarms sounding and knew straight away who it would be. He wasn't too worried, they were arriving on schedule. He stood up from his chair and walked quickly down into the control room.

"It's SG-1," Walter announced.

"Open it," Johnson nodded at the Stargate.

Walter put his hand on the iris opener and it opened.

Johnson made his way down to the Gateroom, and arrived at the bottom of the ramp at the exact same moment SG-1 appeared through the event horizon.

"How'd it go?" Johnson asked; only to have Colonel Carter brush past him and walk out of the gate room.

Dr Jackson and Teal'c stopped in front of him.

"He's dead," Daniel stated.

Johnson stared at him, and then at the door Colonel Carter had just walked out of.

They'd been back to the planet.

Daniel and Teal'c also walked out of the room without being dismissed. Teal'c however did nod slightly in acknowledgement before following Daniel. General Johnson sighed, he didn't know what to do. He walked slowly back to his office, guessing he should probably ring General Hammond and inform him of the bad news.

----

"ColonelCarter."

Sam looked up from her desk, which she hadn't even realised she'd been staring at. She wiped away the tears from her face and half smiled, although there was no feeling in the smile.

"Hi Teal'c," she said, extremely quietly.

"I came to ask if I could assist you in anyway," Teal'c stated, holding his chin high, the way Sam knew he did when he was trying not to cry.

Sam stood up and walked over to him, hugging him. Teal'c looked surprised for an instant, but hugged her back.

"He's gone," she whispered.

A tear fell down the side of Teal'c's face. The stood there for a moment before Sam pulled back.

"I don't need anything," she said quietly. "I just wish he was here."

"As do I," Teal'c replied. "I must depart, General Johnson has requested my presence."

Sam looked at him questioningly.

"Do not worry, you are not yet needed," Teal'c replied. "Please do not do anything you will regret ColonelCarter."

"I won't, thanks Teal'c," Sam replied.

Teal'c nodded a goodbye and left. She was alone.

Completely.

She sat back down on her chair and reached into her pocket, her hand resting on something cold and metal. She pulled it out. Jack's dogtags. She held it tightly in her hands and burst into tears again.

How could they do this to her?

She couldn't stay here.

She stood up and walked out of the office, not knowing exactly where she was going…

Alone.

==================================================

**A/N: **_I don't really know wat to say…hmmm…is in a sad mood now _


	9. Chapter Eight

**A/N: **_Sorry I been slack this week…I had the stress of picking final year of high school subjects :S and my school has like the smallest choice of subjects…so I was having problems finding one and…you don't want my excuses LOL – writing time!_

**==================================================================**

**Chapter Eight**

****

_Smash_

Sam sat staring at the broken window for a long moment. Maybe she should've taken more care when kicking her shoe off. Oh well…

"Sam?"

She didn't turn around, instead she sat down on her bed, staring at the broken hole in the window. She had a lot of holes in her life all of a sudden.

"Sam…" Pete walked around the bed and sat next to her. "What's wrong?"

She couldn't talk. If she talked she'd cry, she refused to cry. She wasn't going to spend anymore time crying…she could feel the tears welling up behind her eyes. Pete reached over to put his arm around her.

She pulled away.

"Sam, what's wrong?" he asked, looking worried.

She broke down into tears, all of a sudden unable to control her emotions.

"_It broke!" _she screamed at the window.

Pete looked taken aback.

She picked up her alarm clock from her bedside table and threw it after her shoe, through the window, smashing another portion of it.

Pete jumped. "Sam, stop it."

"No," she replied. "No no no no no no no no no NO! Why?"

"Why…wat? Sam, please tell me what's wrong!" Pete said.

Sam looked at him. Even through her blurred vision she could see he had fear in his eyes. He was worried about her. It wasn't fair, she didn't deserve him.

"Go," she said out loud, not aware she'd done so. "Go away! I don't deserve you!"

"Sam, stop it!" Pete said. "Please? You're scaring me…what happened?"

"He's gone," she whispered, starting to shake more violently, unable to stop herself.

Suddenly she threw her fist at the wall, making a large dent in it. Pete grabbed her arms and stopped her going for a second try. She looked him in the eyes again.

"It's not fair," she said. "Pete go away, if you stay near me you're going to die! Go away. Go."

"No," Pete replied.

"Everyone dies! They all die!" Sam said. "EVERYONE! Anyone I've ever been close to has DIED!"

"What about Daniel? And Teal'c? And General O'Neill?" Pete asked.

Sam stopped crying and stared at the broken window coldly. Her sudden silence scared him.

"Sam?"

"He died," she said again. "I saw him die. They wouldn't let me take the body. I left him behind…I could've saved him! I could've taken him to a sarcophagus and saved him! But THEY KEPT THE BODY!"

"Who, Sam?" Pete asked.

"Jack," she looked at him. "Jack's dead…I never told him…"

She stopped.

"I know," Pete said. "I'm sure he does too…"

"It's not enough," Sam said. "Pete, I'm so sorry…"

She wiped the tears away from her eyes, pulling a brave face again.

"It's OK," Pete said.

"Not about this…about…my feelings for Jack," she said it so quietly he barely heard.

"You can't help it," Pete said. "Come here."

She leaned into him and he put his arms around her. A silent tear rolled down her cheek.

---

"Disobeying direct orders," General Johnson said.

Daniel, Teal'c and Sam stared at him, none of them replying.

"Well…any reasons?" Johnson asked, sternly.

"It was my idea," they all said at the same time.

Johnson's eyes rested on Sam. "I've read all your files, I don't doubt it. In fact the fact that none of you have ever been reprimanded is due to fact most times you defied orders was due to influence of alien technology, or you saved the planet in the process. This time you have achieved neither, so either you come up with a good explanation…or I'll have to have it seen to that none of you ever go through that gate again…"

"What? With all due respect, General, you can't court marshal Teal'c or myself…" Daniel said.

"But I can do so to Lt Colonel Carter," he said.

She looked up from the spot on the table she'd been staring at. "OK."

"Sam?" Daniel looked at her.

"I don't care. Court marshal me. Ban me from going through the Stargate. I don't care," she said.

Teal'c and Daniel exchanged a look of worry.

"General, I do not believe that ColonelCarter is completely aware of her actions of the past few days," Teal'c defended her.

"Emotionally unstable," Daniel added.

"I'm _fine_," Sam replied. "Now either court marshal me or dismiss me because I have better things to do than sit here and be reprimanded by someone who knows less about the SGC than my fiancé does."

"Colonel Carter, you're dismissed, but I'd like you to head to the infirmary for a check-up," Johnson said.

"Fine," Sam stood up and stormed out of the briefing room.

Johnson looked back at Daniel and Teal'c. "You're also dismissed."

---

Jack stared at Charlie.

"Had enough of the picture show yet? It must get rather boring after the hundredth viewing…" Jack muttered.

"It is not the memories I enjoy, but your pain at the reactions," Charlie replied coldly.

"Let me go," Jack said.

"Never."

"Then let me tell Carter I'm OK," Jack almost begged.

Almost.

"Why?" Charlie grinned evilly. "Because you love her right?"

Jack cringed. "I just need her to know I'm alive."

"Why?" Charlie repeated the question.

"I don't want her to be upset," Jack said.

Charlie's facial expression flickered, for a moment Jack could've sworn he looked forgiving, sad even, but then it was back to normal.

"I do not understand," Charlie said. "If you cannot be with her, why do you want her to be happy? Why do you still care?"

Jack stared at him. "Because I don't care if I can't be with her, I want her to be happy, I want her to have a good life."

"You…I do not understand why?" Charlie looked confused now. "What is this thing you call love?"

"Oh for crying out loud, why should I tell you?" Jack asked.

Charlie still looked confused. "Show me."

For a moment Jack was about to refuse, but then his eyes were already locked with the alien's, forcing him into another memory…

_Jack sat in the corner of Sam's place, feeling kind of out of place.__ Why had he even decided to turn up? _

_He spotted Pete talking to Daniel across the room. They were laughing and talking and drinking the same brand of beer. How come Pete got to have her? _

_At least she'd be happy._

_She didn't need him._

_She'd__ be better off without him anyway._

_The sudden realisation that she'd be better off without him stung. He stood up and walked into the kitchen, searching for another beer. _

_"Having fun, sir?"_

_Great.___

_He turned around and smiled at her. "Great party."_

_"Thanks," she said._

_"I bought you something, I didn't wanna give it in front of everyone else…didn't know if Pete would approve," he said, grinning and handing her a small package._

_She smiled as she took it. She opened it carefully, revealing a jewellery box. She opened it, inside lay a silver necklace, off the end of it was a round circle._

_"Thank you," she said, intentionally leaving off the 'sir'._

_"I thought it looked kinda like a Stargate," he grinned. "So when you're old and babysitting your grandchildren you can look back and think of the fun times we had travelling the universe._

_"Galaxy," she corrected, before the statement had really sunk in. "And I'm not leaving the SGC, sir."_

_"Just, looking ahead," Jack said, he wasn't smiling so much anymore. _

_She didn't ask, but smiled. "Well thank you, I like it."_

_"I know," he said._

_The familiar words seemed to jolt a memory in her, exactly as he'd hoped. _

_"I know…" she whispered. _

_"Hey Sam, do you know where we put the…oh…am I interrupting something?" Pete asked._

_"No, nothing," Jack said. "Were just talking, General to Lt Colonel."_

_He walked out of the kitchen, leaving the two love birds to talk. Jack spotted Daniel and Teal'c and walked over to them._

_"I think I'll go," Jack said. "Want the rest of my beer?"_

_An already half drunk Daniel took the beer bottle happily. _

_"Teal'c, don't let him drive anywhere," Jack said, pointing at Daniel._

_Teal'c nodded. "Are you sure you wish to depart O'Neill?"_

_"Yeah," he glanced back at the kitchen. "There's nothing left for me here now."_

_He turned around and walked out quietly, hoping no one would notice. He stood for a moment, staring at the landscape around her house. She would be happy with Pete, he was a good guy. She deserved him. She deserved to have better than Jack, someone who could love her without restrictions. _

_Someone who could live a life with her.___

_He walked down the steps towards his car. _

_"Sir!" he heard her call after him and turned around._

_"Why aren't you back inside with your beloved fiancé?" _

_He knew the words would sting, but he couldn't help it._

---

Sam checked her dress blues over one more time before she stepped into the gate room. Daniel and Teal'c were already standing in place, she walked silently up to Teal'c and stood next to him.

General Johnson walked up the ramp and took his place, facing all on-world SGC personnel.

"I'm here today to say goodbye to someone who's had a great impact on all of our lives," Johnson started. "But as I don't believe I'm at all the best person to do that, as I never personally met the man, I have asked Lt Colonel Samantha Carter to speak."

Johnson stepped down and walked back down the ramp.

Sam took a deep breath and walked up the ramp and took her place facing everyone.

"For seven years as Colonel in charge of SG-1 and the past five months as General in charge of the SGC, Jack O'Neill made the greatest difference in all our lives," she took in another deep breath, determined not to cry. "Jack O'Neill was a great man, he did more than he could ever be acknowledged for…in his words, if a book was ever written about his life, anyone who ever read it would have to be shot."

A few people smiled, knowing it was something Jack would have said.

"But General O'Neill was not about getting recognition, in fact he never asked for anything in return. He did his job, not because he wanted reward but because he loved his job. Because he cared for the people he worked with, for the people he was saving…and he cared about kicking some Goa'uld butt," Sam grinned.

So did most other people.

"But most of all he cared about doing what was right, for everyone. He never followed the rules, he did what he believed was the right thing to do and because of that he earned respect, not only from people on Earth, but from the Asguard. He deserved the respect he had, and much more. Jack O'Neill was one of the first men to go through that Stargate, and, along with Daniel Jackson and Lt Colonel Feretti, was one of only three people remaining from the original team," Sam sniffed. "But, as the General never liked long speeches, I'm going to end mine here by saying he will be missed more than he could ever have comprehended. Jack O'Neill was, and will go down in history as, one of the greatest men ever to live."

Sam was trying extremely hard to push back the tears. She walked down the ramp and took her place next to Teal'c, upholding her military façade. She knew tears were forming in her eyes, but she hoped no one else would notice.

The sound of the trumpet echoed through her mind, but the rest of the ceremony was a blur.

She wanted to run away. She didn't want to be there. Not at Jack's funeral. It was like her worst nightmare coming true. She had blundered over and skipped half her speech, afraid she would break down in front of the entire SGC and now she stood next to Teal'c, afraid to look at anything but the floor, because every inch of the room reminded her of him.

She breathed in deeply and watched as Teal'c and Daniel carried the folded American flag up the ramp and held it at the even horizon for a moment, before pushing it through.

--

Ten minutes after the ceremony, Sam found herself still standing in the gate room, staring at the Stargate. If it weren't for her damned wedding he would never have gone through the gate in the first place.

It was all her fault.

The tears were back, but again only a foggy mist in front of her eyes.

"He was a good friend," Daniel said.

She was suddenly aware of Daniel and Teal'c standing on either side of her.

"Indeed."

"Friend…" Sam sighed. "Lets go."

She turned and walked out of the Gateroom. Daniel and Teal'c followed.

========================================================================

**A/N: **_Hey guys!! I'll try update again in the next couple of days cos FF.N is gonna be down for uploading on the 17th & 18th…surprise PLEASE REVIEW!_


	10. Chapter Nine

**A/N: **_I'm so sorry this has taken forever! I haven't been allowed on the internet…shoulda seen the bill…but here's the next part…maybe couple of parts! _

**Chapter Nine**

****

The three of them sat silently around Sam's living room. Only a couple of weeks earlier they had sat there celebrating Sam's engagement, now they were sitting there, doing quite the opposite.

"More cake?" Daniel offered.

Sam shook her head. She wasn't hungry. They'd had the wake at General Hammond's place and afterwards the three of them had headed back to Sam's. She sighed loudly and both the guys looked at her.

"It's not right," Sam said. "Something's not right."

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked.

"I dunno, maybe I'm just feeling off because…he's gone…" she sighed. "It's like someone's come and eaten half my soul and left the other half to rot away…"

"It feels strange without him around," Daniel said.

"Indeed," Teal'c said.

Sam looked around. She felt empty. Pete would be home any minute, but she didn't want him there. The past few days she'd realised how little she really cared about him…no that sounded harsh. Sure she cared about him – but not in the way she did about Jack.

He wasn't a part of her.

"Sam?" Daniel said after a moment.

She looked at him. "Yeah?"

"Are you OK?"

"Oh sure, I'm fine. General O'Neill just _died_ Daniel! He's not ascended, he's not in possession of aliens…he's dead!" she shouted, standing up. "And now I have to live here with Pete never knowing what I might've had with the General! I can never be as happy with Pete as I feel around Jack…I loved him more than anything."

She broke down into tears again. "I still love him," she whispered.

Daniel was standing next to her, his arm around her shoulder. She leaned in and tried to stop herself crying.

_Bang_

The front door. Sam wiped her eyes, walking into the hallway and expecting to find Pete. Instead she found no one. The sudden noise of a car engine starting up told her that Pete had been there.

He was gone too.

Suddenly it seemed as if she had no tears left. Her eyes went completely dry and she turned back to face Daniel and Teal'c.

"You should go," she said quietly.

"No, Sam we're staying here," Daniel said.

"No! I'm gonna hurt you, go away," Sam shouted. "I'm completely useless! Everyone around me either ends up hurt or dead! Leave!"

"No," Daniel said. "We're not leaving."

She glared at him and spun around, running into her kitchen area. She saw that photo of SG-1 and pulled it out of its frame, revealing the one of her and Colonel O'Neill from a few years earlier.

She placed it back on the kitchen bench and stared at it. They looked right together. Why hadn't she ever seen it? And now she'd been stupid enough to open her mouth and actually say it, Pete had been in the room and heard every word. Now he was gone too.

She was alone.

Again.

She picked up the photo frame and threw it at the ground. "I'm USELESS!"

"SAM!" Daniel ran into the room and looked at the broken picture frame.

Sam turned around and grabbed the photo of her and Pete off the bench, also throwing it at the ground. It landed next to the one of her and Jack.

"COMPLETELY USELESS!" she screamed.

"No, Sam you're not. There's nothing any of us could've done to save Jack," Daniel said, then looked at the second photo. "And I'm sure Pete will forgive you, just give him time."

"No," Sam said. "It will never be the same. I'll just grow old alone, that way I won't hurt anyone."

"Sam, I lost Sha're, I know how you feel…" Daniel said.

"And I lost Drey'ac," Teal'c added. "We are here for you ColonelCarter."

She looked at them, for the first time realising she wasn't alone in the world. They had both lost people they loved. She sighed.

"Thanks guys," she said quietly. "I appreciate you being here…"

"Want us to set up camp on the couch?" Daniel asked.

"I'll be fine," Sam said, shaking her head.

"Are you sure?" Teal'c double checked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Sam said, watching her friends and knowing while it still must hurt them, life goes on.

Life goes on.

"You care for her so much that you would sacrifice your own life to save hers?" Grace asked.

They were both sitting down and leaning against a wall that had mysteriously appeared in the dark room.

"Yeah," Jack said.

"Then in effect is that not what you have appeared to her to have done?" Grace asked.

"No…" Jack said. "I died, not saving her…but her trying to save me."

"I see," Grace said.

Jack looked at her. "If you see, then why can't you let me go?"

"My superiors…" Grace said.

"Screw your superiors," Jack said.

"You would not," Grace replied.

"Sure I would," Jack said, truthfully…for the most part.

"Except when it concerns your feeling for Sam?" Grace said.

"That's different," Jack said.

"How?"

"It just is."

"Then this is different…"

"No, its not!" Jack said. "You'd be helping me. Please…"

Grace stared at him. "I will be back."

She disappeared.

"Ah, for crying out loud," Jack said loudly into the emptiness.

"UNAUTHORIZED OFFWORLD ACTIVATION," Walter's voice came over the loud speaker.

Sam ignored it and continued carefully turning the screw in the naquadah enhanced machine she was working on. One wrong move and the entire thing was screwed. She'd been working on this for a whole week and if she was made to leave at that exact moment she'd have to start all over…

Her phone rang and she jumped.

"Damnit," she said.

The screw fell out and bounced off the table onto the floor. She picked it up and jogged to the phone, picking it up.

"Carter."

"Colonel, you might wanna see this," Johnson's voice sounded familiar. "Briefing room."

"Yes, sir," she said, hanging up the phone.

She placed the screwdriver and the screw on the table next to the machine she was creating and made her way quickly to the briefing room.

"Hey Carter."

She stopped in her footsteps and looked up. Jack O'Neill sat on the chair he always had when he'd been a part of SG-1. He looked thinner and rather dishevelled, he'd grown what almost looked like a beard – and Sam could only imagine how bad he must smell, but it was him.

"Sir?" she asked. "No…you…you're dead!"

"Apparently not," Daniel replied for him.

"I saw you die," Sam said.

Suddenly she was overwhelmed with emotions. She didn't believe it. He wasn't alive, no way could he possibly be alive. But he was sitting there. So he wasn't dead? So she could be happy again? But it couldn't possibly be him, this had to be a dream.

She shook her head. "It's not possible…"

"It wasn't me, Carter," he said.

"Yes, yes it was! I watched you die!" she still hadn't moved from her position atop the stairs.

"So did I," Jack said. "But it wasn't me, it was an image."

"An _image?_ It was a god damn good image," Sam said.

Jack stood up and walked towards him. "Carter, its me.'

"No, its not," she said.

He reached forward to take her arm. She pulled away.

"No you're dead," she repeated. "You can't be alive."

She turned around and ran out of the briefing room. She didn't know where she was going, but she wasn't staying on this base.

Jack watched her run off, an empty feeling filling his stomach. She didn't want him there. He thought she'd be happy for him, but she wasn't. She'd just run off.

"She needs time," Daniel said quietly from next to him. "She's, ah, been through a _lot_."

"What? Loverboy wasn't there to cheer her up?" Jack asked.

"He left last week," Daniel said.

"Oh," Jack decided to keep his mouth shut.

"She lost you Jack," Daniel said. "I'm surprised she dealt as well as she did."

Jack didn't reply. What was he supposed to say to that?

"Give her time," Daniel said.

"I don't have time," Jack whispered, so quietly Daniel couldn't hear it.

**  
A/N: **_Please review!! _


	11. Chapter Ten

**A/N: **_I been bursting to post fan fic for sooo long!! Eeeeh! I hate not having the net!! _

…

**Chapter Ten**

****

"Carter, let me in."

She stared at the door for a long moment before pulling it open. The constant banging was getting louder and she wouldn't be surprised if he kicked the door in.

"Carter!" he said, she couldn't quite pick which emotion came through, there were a few. He'd cleaned up since she last saw him, was the same old General O'Neill.

"Sorry, sir, I didn't notice your knocking, I must be going deaf or something," she pulled a weak, very fake, smile and turned around, walking back into her house.

Jack stepped through the door and closed it behind him.

"Sam, I need to talk to you," he said.

"Talk away," she said, back still turned to him as she walked towards the lounge room.

He jogged and caught up with her, grabbing her arm to stop her from walking off again.

"Listen to me," he said. "I don't have much time…"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"I…I was infected with an alien virus. I wasn't told until I was about to leave," Jack sighed. "When the aliens, whatever they are, abduct people to get memory from their brains they immediately infect them with a virus. That way if someone escapes they won't live long enough to come back and track down the aliens. I have two days."

Sam stared at him. "Don't…don't tell me that."

"Sam I'm sorry…" Jack said.

"Why'd you come back?" Sam pressed him for information. "If you just knew you were gonna die _again_ why did you come back?"

"I wanted you to know I was alive," he said.

"So I can watch you die for real," Sam added.

"No, when I made the deal I didn't know I was going to die…" he looked her in the eye, still holding onto her arm

She pulled her arm away from his and turned to face him. "There must be something one of the doctors can do to help…"

Jack shook his head slightly. "Carter, there's nothing they can do."

"Yes there is!" she said. "I'll find a way…"

"No, Sam…there isn't one," Jack said. "Especially not after the length of time I've been infected for."

"Well then we'll find the aliens, make them take away the virus! I'm sure they have a cure," Sam said.

"We can't go back…Grace let me go – if we go back then she…he…they'll be caught and get in trouble," Jack replied.

"Grace…" Sam whispered.

"I kinda named her…I always liked that name," Jack smiled slightly. "If I had a daughter I'd name her Grace."

Sam looked away. Did he know? But she'd never told anyone. Her experience on the Prometheus was a secret to everyone except herself. Sure she'd told them a few things, but she'd never mentioned Grace, they would've thought she was insane.

"Me too," she replied.

Their eyes met.

"Sam…before I die there's something I have to say…" Jack said.

"You never let me say it when you went Ancient on us…" Sam whispered, moving slightly closer.

"That was different…if I let you say it then it would be like giving up hope," Jack replied.

"Then so is this," Sam said.

Jack felt himself also moving closer to her. He reached up and caressed the side of her head with his hand, she leaned into his hand, closing her eyes. He pulled her closer and hugged her. They stood there for a very long time, holding each other, until finally Sam pulled back slightly, tears in her eyes.

"Sir…" she said.

"No, sir," he replied quickly.

"OK…Jack…" she whispered. "We're going to find a way out of this…the Grace alien helped you once, she'll help you again…"

He stared into her eyes for a long moment, not seeming to have heard what she'd just said. He reached up and tucked her hair behind her ears.

"I love you, Sam," he said, so quietly she barely heard it.

Her heart leapt into her throat and split in two at the same time. So long had she waited to hear those words, and now she had them – the giver of them only had two days left. Tears again. Why did she have to spend so much time crying?

Jack moved his thumb slightly and wiped the tears away from underneath her eyes.

"I love you too," she whispered back.

She found herself drawn forward, towards his lips. She watched his eyes, and then focused her vision on his mouth. He was leaning towards her too. Their lips were so close when she felt his lips move.

"Do we want to do this?" he asked.

"Yes," she whispered.

Their lips touched and the world around them seemed to disappear. All Sam cared about was being close to the man she had loved for so many years, wanting to be closer. As she kissed him everything left her mind, all her worries disappeared. Suddenly the image of him dying flooded her mind.

She pulled back.

"No," she said.

"No?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"I can't…not knowing you're going to die," she replied. "You should go."

He looked hurt for a moment, but then understanding spread over his expression.

"Yeah, yeah I should," he said. "I should never have come."

Neither of them moved, lost in each other's eyes. The doorbell rang and they both jumped.

Sam walked back to the door, Jack not far behind her, and pulled it open.

"Ah…did I interrupt something?"

Cassie looked extremely uncomfortable all of a sudden. Her eyes shifted to Jack and then back to Sam.

"I'm gonna go," she pointed backwards and turned to leave.

"I was just leaving," Jack said. "Bye Carter."

"I'll see you tomorrow, sir," she replied.

Carter.

Sir.

"See ya Cassie," Jack said as he walked past her, down the steps.

"Bye," Cassie said, eyeing Sam suspiciously. "Seriously, did I interrupt something?"

Sam shook her head. "He was actually just leaving."

"Can I come in?" Cassie asked. "Or am I gonna have to spend all day on the doorstep…?"

…

"Watcha doin?"

Daniel looked up to see Jack walking into his office. "Ah, nothing…why?"

"I'm bored," Jack said.

_I'm__ bored _usually meant _I have some thinking to do and wanted to get out of my office._

"We…kissed," Jack said suddenly.

"Sorry?" Daniel was convinced he'd heard wrong.

"I went to Sam's place to talk to her…we kissed," Jack sighed. "Daniel, what am I doing? In two days I'll be dead."

"What?"

"Some alien virus thing…apparently it's gonna kill me," Jack said casually.

"Jack…don't you think there's something we can do?" Daniel asked, dropping his work back on the table.

"No," Jack replied.

"Are you sure? We could try track down those aliens…"

"That's exactly what Carter said," Jack replied. "And the answer is, no…N…O…no."

"Jack, I'm not gonna sit back and just let you die again…and trust me – neither is Sam. And if she is then I'd be worried about her. Don't you care how much that'll tear her up? Having to deal with you dying twice in one week?" Daniel said, angrily.

"Ten days," Jack added absent-mindedly.

"Whatever!" Daniel exclaimed. "Dealing with Sha're dying was hard enough the first time, I don't think I could go through that again…and I don't want Sam to either. You can't just come back from the dead, kiss her and then die again!"

Jack stared at him. "Well what can I do, Daniel? Find me an option and I'll gladly take it."

"Go after the aliens!" Daniel said, exasperated.

"Except that," Jack said bluntly.

"Why?"

"Grace let me escape, I'm not gonna let…him…her….get in trouble because I then came back!" Jack said.

"Oh."

"Yeah…oh."

"Jack, you have to do something," Daniel said. "For Sam."

Jack looked at him. "OK…"

"We're going after that alien ship, whether you like it or not," Daniel said.

Jack nodded slightly, giving in.

…

**A/N: **_Please review!!_


	12. Chapter Eleven

**A/N: **_Thanks so much for the reviews guys :D_

_…_

**Chapter Eleven**

****

"They've gone where?"

"Dr Jackson, General O'Neill and Teal'c came to me this morning and told me that they had urgent off-world business to attend to…and as General O'Neill is still technically head of the SGC I didn't argue," Johnson stated.

"They went back to the planet?" Sam stared at him disbelievingly. "You let General O'Neill go back to the planet he just escaped…"

She stopped.

The virus.

"Sir, request permission to follow my team through the gate," Sam said.

"I'm sorry Colonel, I can't allow that," Johnson said. "Under General O'Neill's orders you are to remain on Earth."

"General, please," Sam asked.

"No," Johnson said.

Sam sighed and looked around the office. It was half Jack's, half General Johnson's when it came to decorations. Little did General Johnson know what Jack was really doing on that planet.

"You have to let me go," Sam said.

"Why?" Johnson asked.

"Because…" Sam stopped, what was she supposed to tell him?

"If you don't have a valid reason Colonel, you're dismissed," Johnson said, looking back at his paper work.

"Yes, sir," she mumbled.

"_UNAUTHORIZED OFFWORLD ACTIVATION!"_

Sam looked at the General as he got out of his chair and followed him quickly to the control room.

"What is it?" Sam asked Walter as she sat down next to him.

"Alpha site," Walter replied. "It's a transmission."

He pressed a few buttons and Colonel Francis's face appeared on the monitors around them.

"General Johnson," Francis smiled. "Colonel Carter."

"Colonel Francis," Johnson said.

"Actually I wanted more to talk to Colonel Carter than anyone…Sam we have a problem with…something to do with some hyperdrive testing and unstable amounts of some element…" he looked back. "Yeah, well anyway Dr Lee's telling me we need you here."

"I'll be there in ten," Sam said.

"See you then," Francis said, the transmission ended and the Stargate shut down.

Sam stood up to head to the locker room, but her path was blocked by General Johnson.

"You go there, you work on your science stuff, and you come back…here," Johnson ordered. "No detours. I got you out of a court marshal before, but I don't know if it can be done again."

She stared at him blankly, refusing to say anything.

"Colonel? Is that clear?" Johnson asked.

"Crystal," Sam replied, pushing past him and heading to the locker rooms.

…

"Daniel are you sure…" Jack stopped as the device Daniel was holding beep loudly and quickly.

"Yep," Daniel replied. "The entrance should be around here."

He pushed his hand against the wall and low and behold it went clearly through the wall. The rest of Daniel followed. Jack followed after Daniel and Teal'c took up the rear.

"Uh, its dark," Daniel muttered.

"You get used to it," Jack replied.

Daniel raised his eyebrows and looked around more. "It does have a certain, appeal to it…"

"I do not agree DanielJackson," Teal'c said. "In fact this arrangement is rather disconcerting."

"Grace," Jack said.

The blackness in front of them shimmered and a girl in her late-teens or early-twenties appeared before them.

"I told you not to return," she said. "They think you escaped alone…who are these?"

"Daniel and Teal'c…but you already knew that," Jack said. "Tell me how to cure this."

"Why is Carter not with them?" Grace asked.

"Grace…we don't have time for questions," Jack said.

"On the contrary you are here to ask questions," Grace smiled slightly, then returned to looking nervous. "You must leave."

"No," Jack said.

"Then you and your friends will die," Grace said.

The darkness next to her shimmered and a boy appeared, about the same age as Grace.

"Hi Dad," he grinned.

Daniel shot Teal'c a worried glance. He knew straight away who it was.

"Charlie, tell me how to get rid of this virus," Jack said.

"We can't!" he said. "There is no cure."

"Yes…there is," Jack said.

"Why did you go back? If you knew you were just to die again?" Charlie asked.

"To see her again…" Grace said quietly.

"You let him go!" Charlie said in realisation.

"Don't tell," Grace replied.

"You broke the rules!"

"It was the right thing to do!" Grace replied.

"Kids…as fun as arguing with your siblings might be…just tell me, is there or is there not a cure to this virus?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Grace said.

"No," Charlie said at the same time.

Jack's eyes focused on Grace. "How?"

"I can't…you can't get to the machine," Grace replied. "We'll be caught."

Charlie stared at her. "You don't care at all for the order!"

Suddenly they began talking in a language inconceivable to human ears. The same horrible noise Jack had heard when he had originally asked Grace what her name was. Daniel and Jack both blocked there ears and Teal'c stared ahead, obviously in great pain.

"STOP IT!" Jack shouted.

Charlie disappeared.

"Quick," Grace said. "He will provide a distraction as we get to the machine."

"How can you find your way around this place?" Jack asked.

"It's an illusion."

They all spun around to find Sam standing behind them.

"I distinctly told General Johnson not to let you follow us," Jack said.

"I made a slight detour via the alpha site," Sam replied. "After all, I am the leader of this team aren't I?"

Jack didn't reply. He watched her, a pain expression on his face. If he didn't make he didn't want her there to see it.

"Carter, go home," Jack said.

"No."

He sighed and turned back to Grace. "Let's go."

Sam's eyes fell on Grace for the first time. Jack saw a look of recognition cross her face, before the expression was buried again. He wondered what that was about.

Grace nodded and she signalled to them to follow her. Jack noticed that Sam hung back from him, walking next to Teal'c the entire way. Daniel was now taking up the rear…he didn't know how wise that would be if they were attacked.

"Grace, how much further?" he asked.

"Here," Grace said, clicking her fingers.

The illusion disappeared. They were standing in a dark golden coloured room. In front of them was a chair, just a normal looking chair. Except for the coloured crystals which ran down the back of the chair.

"It may not work, as you have been infected for so long," Grace said.

"How come he's not showing any symptoms?" Sam asked.

"The virus works in such a way that the immune system does not recognise it as a virus until the last 24 hours when he will begin decomposi…"

"OK, lets just get me on the chair huh?" Jack said.

"Sit down."

"I could have figured that one out myself," Jack muttered, taking a seat on the chair.

"That's not possible…" Daniel whispered to Sam.

"What?" Sam asked.

"That he's been infected with a virus that long and it hasn't presented any symptoms…" Daniel said.

Sam looked back at Jack who was sitting in the chair. She watched Grace's hand hover over the button and suddenly noticed the almost evil look in her eyes.

"General get up!" she said loudly.

"What?" he asked.

"GET UP!" she shouted, running to him and reaching the pull him out of the chair, knowing Teal'c was doing the same.

But it was too late, Grace had already pressed the button and an electric shock had been jolted throughout Jack's body, focusing on his spine…

…

**A/N: **_Dum dum dum!!! Review quickly and I'll post more quickly!!_


	13. Chapter Twelve

**A/N: **_Just a short chapter!!_

__

**Chapter Twelve**

****

"You tricked him!" Daniel accused.

Grace grinned evilly. "He deserved it. Thinking he could twist me into letting him go…"

"So why did you let him go?" Daniel asked.

"Because I knew he would come back if I told him a lie….and it would be more torturous to his friends…and her…if he died twice," Grace grinned.

Teal'c stood up and moved towards Grace. She continued grinning at him.

"You can't hurt me," she said.

Teal'c grabbed her around the neck and lifted her up off the ground.

"Undo this," Teal'c said. "Or you will die."

Grace laughed at him. "The others will be here any minute…none of you will ever again see the light of day…although I guess that depends on how long we decide to torture you for…maybe let you go for a couple of days…"

She grinned.

Teal'c tightened his grip and her grin faded slightly.

"You are strong," she said. "Jaffa…"

"Tell us a way out of here," Daniel said from behind Teal'c.

"You originally beamed O'Neill onboard…there must be a way to beam us off-board," Teal'c said.

Daniel glanced nervously at Jack and Sam behind him on the floor.

"Tricked," Jack whispered. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not watching you die again," Sam said.

"Third time lucky…just not for me," Jack whispered, smiling weakly.

"No," Sam said. "Jack…Pete's gone…I won't lose you, not again."

"I came back for you…if I hadn't…then I would still be alive," Jack said.

"You are still alive," Sam said.

They heard a loud banging of a body hitting a wall and both turned to see Teal'c having thrown Grace against the wall, where she'd fallen unconscious.

"She…" Jack gasped for air in pain. "She's ours…"

"I know," Sam said. "I've seen her before…"

Jack didn't question her, she could see he was in too much pain.

"Teal'c, you have to carry him out of here, he can't walk," Sam said.

Teal'c nodded, walking over and lifting O'Neill across his shoulders.

"This way," Sam said, leading them out into the hallway.

They moved quickly through the golden halls. In ways they reminded Sam of the many Goa'uld ships she'd been on, except less elaborately decorated, and built in a much smarter way. They didn't have convenient hiding places built into the wall.

"ColonelCarter…I hear voices," Teal'c said.

Sam stopped and listened for a moment. She only heard a high pitched noise reverberating throughout the hallways.

"That?" she asked.

Teal'c nodded. "That is how these aliens spoke."

"Great," Sam replied. "We're almost there…I think…"

"We should move faster," Daniel suggested.

Sam nodded, and started a slow jog. She suddenly came to a stop. They'd reached the same place she'd escaped from last time she'd been in the ship.

"Here," she said, walking through the wall and finding herself back outside.

The other three followed closely behind her.

They found themselves standing in front of a wall of six or seven strange looking fighter ships.

"Well…there goes plan a) walk out of the alien ship alive and go back home…so who's got a plan b)?" Daniel muttered.

…

Colonel Francis pulled his cap off as he walked down the ramp. Dr Lee walked slowly behind him, looking rather upset.

"Don't tell me…" Johnson said. "Colonel Carter ran off?"

Francis nodded. "She told us she had to go back to Earth to get some supplies…and insisted on dialling herself. Next thing we know she's jumping through to some unknown planet, completely leaving Dr Lee and his buddies to work on the hyperdrive themselves.

"Yeah, well we all know what Colonel Carter's like when it comes to O'Neill," Dr Lee muttered.

"What do you mean?" Johnson asked.

"What…you haven't read their files?" Dr Lee asked. "Everyone knows they have a thing for each other…"

"Last recorded evidence of that was four years ago! There's no proof that still exists…and they certainly aren't in a relationship," Johnson replied.

"Oh it's there, General…" Francis replied.

"That's why she ran off to rescue him?" Johnson asked, a few things starting to fall into place. "And why she was so upset about him being dead…and then alive again…"

"And its why she's run off again," Lee said.

"Then she obviously thought they were in danger," Francis concluded. "Sir I suggest you send in a force after them."

"How about we try contacting SG-1 first…" Johnson said, turning around and walking angrily back to the control room.

…

"Colonel?"

Sam looked surprised at her radio. "General I can explain everything, but right now we need a little help…"

"We're sending through four SG teams," Johnson said.

"That won't be enough, sir," Sam said.

"Well what do you want us to send through then?" Johnson asked.

"Sir, I don't think anything will be of much help right now…unless you have a couple of death gliders hanging around," Sam replied, staring at the fighters that now all had their guns aimed at them.

"Colonel, all we have is four SG teams…everyone else are off-base or off-world," Johnson replied.

"Make sure they bring some big guns then, sir," Sam said.

"Give us five," Johnson said.

"Yes, sir," Sam said.

The radio went silent.

"Backup?" Daniel asked.

Sam nodded slightly. "But they won't be much use."

"Every little bit helps," Daniel said, rather unconvincingly. "So until then, we just stand here and stare at the big honking guns aimed right at us?"

"Indeed," Teal'c replied.

…

**A/N: **_Sorry its short!! But there's more coming I swear!_


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**A/N: **_Next Chapter!! Getting closer to the end now!! Thanks so much for all the reviews!_

**Chapter Thirteen**

****

Sam watched the six spaceships carefully, looking for any variation, which could signal the beginning of an attack. Strangely enough they seemed to remain stationary.

"They do not appear to be moving," Teal'c stated.

"Well…maybe we still can walk out of here alive," Daniel said, taking a step forward.

All six ships armed themselves and suddenly there were over twenty massive honking big space guns pointed at them.

"Or not…" Daniel stepped backwards again. "So what do we do, just stand around and wait for the others?"

Sam didn't reply. There had to be something they could do. Jack needed medical attention and if they didn't get out of there quickly he might not make it. She swallowed the lump that was rising in her throat and kept up her military façade.

"Sam?"

"Yes Daniel, we stand here and wait for the others," Sam said.

A bright light appeared in front of them, and as it disappeared it revealed two figures. A woman in her early thirties and a man in his early fifties.

"Greetings," the woman said.

"Let us go," Sam demanded.

"So much for formalities…" Daniel muttered.

"We can not, you know too much," the man said.

"He's going to die!" Sam said. "You tricked us into coming back here and now he's going to die!"

"Only because of your stupid human emotions," the woman said. "It would be better if you learnt to block them out.

Sam aimed her P-90 directly at the woman. "Lets us go or I'll shoot."

"If you shoot me, you'll be dead in an instant," the woman said.

"Well we're as good as dead anyway aren't we?" Sam said.

"Sam…" Daniel said, walking forward and pushing the P-90 down. "This isn't going to help…"

She opened her mouth to argue, but she knew he was right. She sighed and let her P-90 fall against her uniform again.

"We have come to make a deal," the man said. "The woman goes, if the rest of you stay."

"No," Sam said immediately. "If I go, they go."

"Then there is no deal," the man replied.

"Is it your aim in life to cause emotional damage?" Daniel suddenly burst out. "Do you know what we have been through in the past few weeks?"

Neither of the aliens replied, but the woman cocked her head to the side.

"We saw Jack get kidnapped, Sam had to cancel her wedding because he was missing, then we come to get him and Sam sees him die, he died right in front of her eyes, then we go back to Earth and Sam's fiancé walks off, then we find out that Jack is really alive and it was all for nothing, and then he tells us that he's going to die again so we bring him back here to save him and you try to kill him!" Daniel shouted. "Do you know what that does to someone?"

The alien man stared at him. "No…we do not understand. If one is gone, then let them be."

"Then maybe you should _learn_! Isn't that what you're here for? To learn? Well learn something from us! We have feelings, emotions and we don't appreciate them being played with!" Daniel said. "Please…let us go!"

"We can not," the woman said.

"God damnit!" Daniel shouted. "Do you have emotions?"

"We have feelings…of pain and hunger…we do not understand these things you speak of…friendship…love…mourning, these terms we have learnt from O'Neill mean nothing to us," the man said. "We have inflicted these emotions on him many times for study, yet we still do not understand."

"Please, let us go," Sam said quietly.

All eyes turned to her.

"Let him go…you've done enough damage…just let him go," Sam said.

Again the alien woman tilted her head to the side. "He would do the same for you…stay behind as long as he knew you were safe. Why?"

"Because I care about him," Sam whispered.

The line wasn't heard because there was a large explosion of gunfire from behind the fighters and the one on the far right exploded. The rest immediately turned around to face the SG teams that had attacked them.

"You can stop this!" Daniel shouted.

"We can wipe you all out in an instant," the man shouted back.

"There's more of us, hidden everywhere on the planet," Daniel said.

"We can destroy you," Teal'c added.

"Would all your people die just in the hope to save you four?" the woman asked.

"It's better to die trying than to never have tried at all," Daniel said.

"You never give up," the man stated.

More gunfire erupted from behind the fighters.

"We will kill them," the man said.

Sam lifted her radio to her mouth. "Cease fire."

The gun fire stopped.

"Colonel, since we took the first ship by surprise we can't seem to cause any damage."

"Colonel Francis? What are you doing here?" Sam asked. "You're supposed to be at the alpha site."

"So are you," he replied.

"Stop talking," the man said loudly.

Sam dropped the radio and stared at the aliens. "Well…either shoot us or let us go, cos we're not gonna stand here all day."

"Shoot them," the man said.

Sam winced and moved closer to Teal'c and Jack's limp body which he had placed against the wall. She clicked her radio on again.

"Colonel get out of here," she said quietly.

"That's against our orders Colonel," Francis replied.

"Well you have new orders," Sam said. "If you stay you're going to die! Just go."

There was silence for a moment. "We're staying," came the reply.

The man and the woman alien disappeared. Sam knelt down next to where Jack's body was propped up against the wall.

"General," she said, taking his hand and squeezing it slightly.

There was no response.

"Jack, please wake up," she said, close to tears.

She felt pressure against her hand and looked down at his hand closing around hers. She heard a quiet whisper from him and looked back up at his face.

"What?" she asked.

His eyes opened and met hers. She could hear the whirring of the weapons warming up behind them.

"I'm sorry," he said, so quietly she could barely hear it.

"Me too," Sam said.

He moved his hand up to her face, brushing his thumb across her lips. She watched his eyes, they told her more than anything else ever could. After all this effort they were gonna die right here at this exact moment. The only regret she had was not having become this close to him earlier. The eight years worth of "sir" and "Carter" all seemed so pointless if this was their end. If they were going to die now it had all been for nothing. The years spent waiting…the last week.

But now she was here with him, it didn't matter. They were going to die and they were going to be together. She watched in slow motion as he leaned forward and put his arms around her, using all his effort to move the foot or so to reach her. The only noise Sam could hear now was the extremely loud powering of the alien weapons.

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him waiting for the end to come…

**A/N: **_Don't kill me!! There's more coming!! PLEASE REVIEW!!_


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**A/N: **_Here's more!! Thanks for the reviews guys!! :D_

**Chapter Fourteen**

****

Sam waited. Nothing happened. She felt Jack go limp in her arms. He was unconscious again. She didn't stop holding him, she didn't wanna let go. Not again.

"ColonelCarter," Teal'c's voice came.

The weapon powering noise was gone. She could hear footsteps running towards them. She leaned Jack carefully back against the wall and stood up, turning to face Teal'c.

The fighters were gone.

"Where…" she stopped as she noticed the familiar shape of a large Asguard ship in the air above them. "Thor…"

Colonel Francis walked up to them and pulled his hat off. "I told General Johnson they still owed us one."

"Apparently we owe them one now," Lieutenant Marks said from Francis's side, smiling.

"We have to get him back to the SGC," Sam said, nodding towards Jack.

Francis nodded. Teal'c walked over and picked Jack up again, carrying him around his shoulders.

"We should return to the gate," Teal'c said.

Teal'c lead the way towards the gate and everyone else followed, Sam the closest, following almost directly in Teal'c's footsteps.

xxx

General Johnson watched as the five SG teams walked back through the gate. SG-1, SG-3, SG-4, SG-15 and Colonel Francis treaded down the ramp.

"_MEDICAL TEAM TO THE GATE ROOM."___

Teal'c waited as the medical team rushed into the room, as if they'd been standing ready outside the door. He lay Jack down on the stretcher and watched as the medical team ran quickly off to the infirmary.

"Colonel, what happened?" Johnson walked up to Sam.

As her eyes met his they were hollow, showing her fear and underneath that he saw hate and anger and even further below that he saw her feeling for her CO shining through all the other emotions.

"They just wanted to learn," she said, almost choking on her words. "Excuse me, sir."

She walked past him and down the ramp, out of the gate room. Teal'c followed her out. Johnson turned back to face Daniel.

"What happened?" he asked, looking very confused.

"He wasn't infected with a virus," Daniel said. "They told him he was infected with a virus and we went back to heal the virus, only to have them trick us into having him…well sit in an electric chair."

"I don't understand," Johnson said. "Why let him leave in the first place?"

"They were learning about human emotion," Daniel replied.

"And in the process they've destroyed you all," Johnson finished.

Daniel nodded slightly the same hollow expression in his eyes that he'd seen in Sam's a moment earlier.

xxx

"ColonelCarter…" Teal'c's voice sounded hesitant.

Sam continued fiddling with the pen she'd picked up from the bench in front of her before she'd sat down. She watched as the doctors worked on saving Jack in the room below her. She'd gone straight the observation room when she'd left the gate room.

"I am sure O'Neill will be fine," Teal'c said.

Sam nodded slightly. "Yeah. Yeah he will be…"

She didn't sound too sure, just continued turning the pen over in her hand. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked behind her at Teal'c. Suddenly she broke down into tears, for what seemed like the infinite time that week. She stood up and wrapped her arms around Teal'c, crying against him as she would have against her mom when she was six-years-old. She felt Teal'c's arms close around her.

"I can't deal with anymore," Sam said. "If…if he doesn't make it…"

She started shaking.

Teal'c looked around as Daniel entered the room. He stopped next to them, watching his friend completely breaking down in Teal'c's arms.

"Sam…" he said.

She leaned back from Teal'c and looked at Daniel, wiping tears away from her face with the back of her hands. She glanced back at Jack who was still surrounded by medical staff. She felt Daniel's arm reached her shoulder and pulled her towards him, hugging her.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this Sam," he said. "I'm sorry."

She hugged him back. "How do you keep going? Every day knowing Sha're's gone forever?" she whispered.

"I know she's better off dead than under the control of a Goa'uld," Daniel said.

Sam bit her lip, holding back more tears. She pulled back from the hug and sat back down on the stool, her back to the medical room, not wanting to watch.

"Sam, they've stopped," Daniel said after a few moments.

She turned around and looked back down at the room. Her eyes moved to the machinery next to Jack's bed.

He was stable.

Her heart seemed to leap back from her stomach back into its normal position.

He was alive.

She doctor walked out of the room and appeared a few minute later in the observation area.

"He's stable," she said. "But we don't know what kind of damage there is to his neural system…"

The three of them nodded.

"But he's alive," she said. "We'll move him to the infirmary tomorrow morning…and right now I suggest you all get some sleep."

Again three silent nods, this time they were all lies. None of them were going to sleep and she knew it. The doctor turned around and walked out leaving them there to sit and watch.

xxx

Jack blinked a couple of times.

He was alive?

There was no possible way he could be alive, he should've been dead at least three times by now. He had a vague memory of leaning forward and hugging Sam, knowing they were both going to die and yet here he was alive and from the constant beeping noises he guessed he was in the infirmary.

He opened his eyes fully, waiting for them to focus.

Sam.

She was lying asleep on the infirmary bed next to his. He smiled slightly.

"O'Neill."

He shifted his gaze to the end of the bed where Teal'c was sitting on a chair quietly.

"Hey T," Jack said quietly, not wanting to wake Sam. "How long I been out."

"Three days," Teal'c replied.

"You guys been sitting here that entire time?" Jack asked.

"Indeed," Teal'c nodded slightly. "DanielJackson was ordered to bed by GeneralHammond twelve hours ago and is yet to return."

"And Carter wasn't ordered to bed because…?" Jack asked, looking at her.

"Hammond could not remove her," Teal'c said, smiling slightly.

A mass of emotions suddenly rose within Jack. He remembered everything that had happened between them the past few months. Pete's proposal, her accepting, their completely drift away from even friendship for a long time, the conversation at her engagement party, being taken by the aliens and having the many memories flooded through him, coming back and her not believing it was him, knowing he was going to die and going to her house to talk to her, kissing her, leaving, thinking he was going to be cured and then being shocked by the chair, waking up and thinking they were going to spend their last few moments in each other's arms only to wake up three days later in the infirmary and find her and Teal'c still by his side.

"Yeah…" he said quietly, watching her.

"I will get GeneralHammond," Teal'c said, standing up and walking out of the infirmary, leaving Jack alone with the sleeping Sam.

Her eyes opened slowly at that exact moment, as if she'd been waiting for Teal'c to leave.

"Morning sleepyhead," Jack said.

"Sir!" she said, sitting up. "You're awake! I'll have to tell Hammond."

"Teal'c's already on it," Jack replied.

"Oh…" she said. "Right…"

She stood up and walked over to his bed.

"So how you feeling?" she asked.

"Not so great…but better than I have for a long time," he said. "Ya know…not being in the knowing you're going to die situation…"

"Yeah…" Sam said, not really knowing what to say.

She sat down on his bed and looked at him, placing her hand extremely close to his.

"Let's not forget it all again," Jack said all of a sudden.

"Yeah…" Sam repeated her last sentence.

Jack moved his fingers underneath hers. "I mean it…we're not going to go back…I'll resign, we'll make it work."

Sam nodded, still not knowing what to say.

"No more leaving it in the room…" he said, then he paused for a long moment searching her eyes. "Sam…"

He paused again.

"Yes?" she said.

"Will you…"

"Glad to see you're awake, Jack," Hammond said walking into the room with Teal'c and a very sleepy Daniel in toe.

They broke eye contact, but neither moved their hands. Sam moved her head around to face the rest of them. She didn't wanna hide their closeness anymore. She didn't wanna move from his side, she wasn't moving from his side until he was fully better.

"Nice to see you too, General," Jack said. "What happened to General Johnson?"

"Oh he's around," Daniel said.

Jack nodded, comforted with the knowledge that Sam's hand was still entangled in his.

**A/N: **_No its not over yet!! Still a couple more things that need to happen :D_


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**A/N: I'M BACK!!! Spent two weeks in NZ!! WAS SO COOL! Everyone should visit it!! But here we go more fic...**__

**Chapter Fifteen**

****

Sam sat down at the familiar coffee table and looked around. So much had happened since she'd last sat here. She opened the newspaper to check the world news when she sensed another figured sitting down on the other side of the table. She looked up.

"Pete," she said in surprise.

"Hi Sam," he said, the usual spark in his eyes was absent, but he smiled slightly.

"Look, Pete…I'm sorry…" she started.

He held up a hand. "No worries…it's better I found out before we got married, right?"

But he didn't sound too convinced.

"I love you Pete, I really do…its just…" she sighed.

"I know," he said. "I feel the same about you as you do about him, and I guess that's what kept me here even though all along I knew you loved him more. I guess I was just hopeful…"

"I really am sorry," she said.

"So…" Pete said after a long pause.

"He's alive," Sam said, suddenly realising he didn't know.

Pete looked up. "If you were anyone else I would be surprised, but with the life you lead…that really doesn't surprise me."

A sadness seemed to come over him. He knew he never had any kind of chance to be with her now.

"So now you know he's alive, are you two…"

"Not yet," Sam said.

"But you're going to…" Pete said.

"Probably," Sam replied.

"Then I'm happy for you," Pete said. "I love you more than anything Sam, but I guess I'll have to move on…"

"Can we still be friends?" Sam asked.

Pete stared at her for a long time before answering. "Not yet."

Sam nodded, understanding.

"Well I have to get to work…" Pete said. "I've been coming here every morning in hope of seeing you here…"

"I was on base…I haven't been home for a week," Sam said.

"I guessed," Pete replied, standing up. "I hope you two are happy together."

"Good luck for the future," Sam smiled weakly.

"Thanks, Sam," he said.

"Goodbye…" she said.

"Bye," Pete said, not quite knowing if he should hug her or not he stood there for a long moment.

Sam stood up and put her arms around him. "Goodbye Pete," she whispered.

He hugged her briefly and then left.

While she had a horrible feeling of guilt in her stomach she also felt lighter, as if a heavy weight she'd been carrying had just walked out of her life.

And it had.

xxx

"To Jack's retirement," Daniel said, raising his glass.

Sam, Jack and of course Teal'c's non-alcoholic drink were raised. They all took a sip and put their glasses back on the small table.

"So what have you got planned for life post-SGC?" Daniel asked.

"Oh, I have a list," Jack said smiling at Sam across the room.

The look didn't go unnoticed by Teal'c and Daniel who also exchanged a knowing look.

There was a knock at the door. Sam stood up.

"I'll get it," she said.

"Settling in already," Daniel muttered.

Jack glared at him, but Sam didn't seem to hear the remark. She walked up the steps into the hall and opened the door.

"SAM!" Cassie's voice rung throughout the hall.

"Hey Cass," Sam said, quieter.

"Have you kissed him yet?" she asked loudly.

Jack suddenly found great interest in his beer as he felt Daniel and Teal'c's eyes both slowly moved towards him.

"CASSIE!" Sam said loudly.

"I was just joking!" Cassie said, appearing in the living room. "Hi guys! Congratulations on the retirement Jack! Now you're free to do what you want."

She winked at him.

"You're horrible at keeping secrets," Jack muttered.

"I know," Cassie said. "But I'm still keeping one! I haven't told anyone yet."

"Told anyone what?" Daniel asked.

"Nothing," Cassie grinned at him, sitting down on the couch between Teal'c and Sam. "Can I have a drink?"

"No," Daniel, Sam and Teal'c said at the same time.

"Sure, in the fridge," Jack replied.

"Jack!" Daniel said. "I don't think Janet would've approved of that…"

A sad look crossed everyone's faces before Cassie grinned, not wanting the mention of her mother's name to dampen the evening. "Oh and of course you would know wouldn't you Daniel?"

Daniel glared at her.

"All those hours spent at our house…I know you weren't there because you didn't have cable," Cassie said. "It's a pity how people never realise their feelings for each other till its too late…"

She shot a glance at Jack.

He glared at her. "If you want beer its in the fridge," he repeated, wanting to change the topic.

She stood up and ran to the kitchen.

"Jack she's still three years too young…" Daniel said.

"As if eighteen-year-olds don't drink," Jack said. "Plus, drinking laws don't apply to aliens."

"I heard that!" Cassie said from the kitchen. "Oh a cake!"

"Don't touch that!" Jack said.

"Where's the beer?" Cassie asked.

"For crying out loud…" Jack muttered as he stood up and walked to the kitchen.

Cassie was standing there with a beer in her hand.

"Well if you knew where it was…" he said.

"When you gonna ask her?" Cassie asked.

"I told you…later," he said.

"Ask now!" Cassie said.

"Quiet," Jack said, grabbing another beer out of the fridge. "I'll do it later…"

"I wanna be here," Cassie said.

"I'm not doing it in front of anyone else," Jack said.

"Why not?"

"Because…you just don't!" Jack said.

"Boring," Cassie muttered. "What's this?"

"Ah…no whisky for you," he said grabbing the bottle off her and putting it back on the shelf. "You stick to beer. Get back in there."

Cassie grinned. "You know I'm really bad at keeping secrets, if you don't ask soon I might accidentally say something…"

"Cassie! I'm warning you…" Jack said.

"You were never scary Jack," Cassie said, bouncing back into the living room with the others.

Jack rolled his eyes and followed her.

xxx

"Hey Carter…" she felt him tap her on the arm lightly.

They all moved around throughout the night. Teal'c and Daniel had both glued themselves to the TV where Teal'c was making Daniel watch the making of Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Cassie was cutting up slices of cake in the kitchen. Sam had been watching her.

She turned around to face Jack.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked. "In private?"

"Uh, sure," Sam said, following him out of the kitchen and outside onto the balcony.

She felt Cassie's eyes on them the entire way out the door.

"So…" Sam said, leaning on the balcony and looking out of his backyard.

"So…" Jack said, then he took in a deep breath. "Before…in the infirmary, what I was gonna ask…"

He paused and looked at her, she turned to face him. He reached into his pocket and fumbled around before pulling out a small red velvet box.

Sam felt her insides freeze.

He held it out to her, the silence between them spoke more than any words ever could.

"We've made a lot of mistakes…" he said, and then stopped again, trying to build up the courage to continue.

"Jack…" she said.

"Sam…will you marry me?" he said, then let out a huge sigh of relief. "Do you know how hard that was to say?"

Sam smiled and looked away and then back up at him. "Yes."

"Really? I didn't think you'd ever asked anyone…" Jack said.

She smiled even wider. "No, I mean yes."

"Oh," Jack said. "Really? You don't wanna think about it…?"

"I've thought about it," she said, leaning forward and kissing him on the lips, wrapping her arms around his neck.

She heard an extremely loud squeal from inside the door and loud footsteps running away to the TV room. She pulled back and smiled at Jack.

"I think the cats out of the bag already," Sam said.

"Oh well, saves us the trouble," he said. "Here put it on…"

He took the ring and slipped in onto her finger.

She smiled at it, and then back at Jack.

Everything was perfect.

xxx

"SHE SAID YES!" Cassie screamed.

Daniel sat up as straight as a pole in his chair and Teal'c stood up completely.

"What?" they both said at the same time.

"HE PROPOSED AND SHE SAID YES!" Cassie screamed again.

"Are you sure?" Daniel asked.

"I'M SURE!" Cassie said. "OH MY GOD I'M SO EXCITED!"

She ran out of the room again and appeared a second later. "Oh no I can't interrupt them they could be busy! Oh but I wanna go talk to them…oh but…Aah!"

"Calm down, Cassie," but Daniel was grinning from ear to ear as well.

Even Teal'c had a big smile on his face.

"THEY'RE COMING!" Cassie said, running into the room. "Quick pretend to be surprised!"

A moment later Sam and Jack both appeared in the doorway. Everything seemed normal, they were standing apart, not holding hands…but Daniel could see a ring shining on Sam's hand.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" Cassie shouted.

"Cassie, calm down!" Daniel said, seriously this time, then he turned to his friends. "I believe congratulations are in order?"

Sam smiled, a smile he had never seen her smile for anything that wasn't Jack related.

"Thank you," Sam said.

Jack scratched the back of his head. "Uh…cake anyone?"

Everyone smiled.

After all they'd been through they could still have their happy ending…

**A/N: **_Nope not over quite yet!! But that's all I can write tonight I really should sleep…lol_


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**A/N: Hey guys sorry it's been forever since I updated I was on holidays in New Zealand!! Here's the second last chapter!!**

**Chapter Sixteen**

****

_4 Months Later_

****

"Ready?"

Sam looked up to see Daniel poking his head around the edge of the door.

"Yeah," Sam said, smiling widely.

She jumped up from her and walked uncomfortably over to where Daniel was standing.

"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate constricting dresses?" Sam said.

"Sam, you'll be fine," Daniel said. "Good luck!"

"Thanks," she said, nerves suddenly overcoming her.

She'd been so close to this before, but now she was here, actually in the church, ready to get married. She smiled to herself thinking of Jack standing at the front of the church nervously.

She walked out of the room and headed towards the church area, looking for her father.

"Sam."

She turned around and found Pete standing there.

"Hi," she said. "I didn't think you'd come…"

"I wasn't going to," Pete replied. "But then I thought I'd come and wish you luck."

"Thanks," Sam said.

"I'm gonna go…" he said. "I'll call you?"

"Yeah," Sam replied.

He smiled quickly and disappeared.

Sam sighed heavily, watching him leave. She was glad she'd gotten out of her relationship with him before she'd done something really stupid. But she knew exactly how close she'd come to making that mistake…

Everything happens for a reason.

She spotted her dad and walked as quickly as she could over to him.

"Hi Dad," she said, hugging him. "I'm glad you could make it."

"So am I," Jacob replied. "So, shall we go…"

Sam nodded slowly.

She slipped her arm through her father's and the walked into the church as the music started.

She saw Jack standing at the front of the church dressed in a black suit, looking rather uncomfortable. He smiled as he saw her walk into the church and she did to. She saw Teal'c and Cassie sitting in the second row, Daniel was standing at the back of the church, making sure everything went to plan.

"I'm glad you chose him," Jacob said quietly.

"So am I," Sam whispered so quietly she wasn't even sure Jacob heard her.

They walked the rest of the way and Jacob let go of her as she stepped up to face Jack. An overwhelming sense of joy fell over Sam and she looked up and met Jack's gaze.

OoO

"Who's that guy Cassie's dancing with?" Jack leaned over and asked loudly.

"I don't know…" Sam said. "Did she bring a date?"

"Nope…" Jack said.

"Think we should find out?" Sam grinned at him.

"Or we could just head to the dance floor and maybe we'll recognise him without having to embarrass Cassie," Jack grinned.

"Subtle," Sam replied.

"What…I'm not allowed to ask my wife for a dance?" Jack asked.

"You don't have to ask, Jack," Sam replied. "Come on."

"Wait…on second thoughts – I can't dance," Jack said as Sam stood up and tugged on his jacket.

"Sure you can, I'll teach you," Sam said.

Jack cringed and stood up. It had been his idea after all.

She took his hand and lead him to the dance floor. When they reached it he turned to face her and looked into her eyes.

Who would have thought they'd be standing here? It had always been his dream, since he met her, but it was a dream he'd never thought possible. A dream he'd never thought he'd risk taking. It took three or four near death experiences in a row to knock the sense into him.

But he'd never had much sense had he. If it hadn't been for Hammond's insistence that Sam joined SG-1 she would not have even been there…

_"Where's Captain Carter?" __Hammond__ asked._

_"Just arriving, sir," Samuels replied promptly._

Git_, Jack thought, watching Samuels. _Wait…Carter?

_"Carter?" Jack repeated, pausing before sitting down in his chair._

_"I'm assigning Sam Carter to this mission," __Hammond__ replied._

_"I'd prefer to put together my own team, sir," Jack said._

_"Not on this mission, sorry.__ Carter's our expert on the Stargate," __Hammond__ told him._

_Scientist?__ Great…Jack leaned over and scribbled something on his folder._

_"Where's he transferring from?" Jack asked. _

_"She is transferring from the pentagon," came a female voice from the doorway._

_Jack looked up to see a beautiful young woman walk briskly across the room and stop opposite him._

_"I take it your Colonel O'Neill," she saluted. "Captain Samantha Carter reporting, sir."_

_Jack returned the salute. Before he could say anything he was interrupted._

_"But of course you go by Sam…" Kawalsky said mockingly._

_Sam smiled slightly, obviously used to male USAF officers.__ "You don't have to worry Major, I played with dolls when I was a kid."_

_"G.I. Joe?" Kawalsky grinned._

_"No…Major Matt Mason," Sam replied._

_"Oh," Kawalsky said, pretending he knew for a moment, then he turned to Feretti. "Who?"_

_"Major Matt Mason, astronaut doll," Feretti said, grinning, then he looked back at Sam. "Did you have that cool little backpack that made him fly?"_

_"Lets get started," __Hammond__ interrupted them. "Colonel?"_

_"Thank you," Jack replied. "Those of you on your first trip through the Stargate, you should be prepared for what to expect."_

_"I've practically memorized your mission report from the first mission. I'd like to think I've been preparing for this my all my life," Sam said. _

You call that a life? _Jack thought._

_"I think what the Colonel is saying is…have you ever pulled out of a simulated bombing run in an F-16 and 8 plus G's?" Kawalsky said._

Thank you…_Jack thought, inside rolling his eyes._

_"Yes," Sam replied confidently._

_Kawalsky looked surprised, Jack knew exactly how he felt. _

_"Well…it's way worse than that," Kawalsky continued._

_"By the time you get to the other side, you're frozen stiff like you've just been through a blizzard. Naked…" Feretti helped him out._

_"That's a result of the compression your molecules undergo during the millisecond required for reconstitution…" Sam explained._

_God she was irritating. _

_"Oh here we go, another scientist…General please…" Jack said, desperate to not have her on his team._

_"Theoretical astrophysicist," Sam corrected him. _

I don't even know what that is_, Jack thought to himself. _

_"Which means?" Jack said, looking confused._

_"It means she is smarter than you are Colonel. Especially in matters related to the Stargate," General Hammond said._

_Kawalsky and Feretti both laughed until Jack glared at them and they suppressed their laughter. _

_"Colonel, I was studying the Gate technology for two years before Daniel Jackson made it work and before you both went through. I should have gone through then. But sir, you and your _men_ might as well accept the fact that I am going through this time," Sam said._

_"Well, with all due respect, Doctor…"_

_"It is appropriate to refer to a person by their rank, not their salutation. Call me 'Captain' not 'Doctor'."_

_"Captain Carter's assignment to this unit is not an option it's an order," __Hammond__ instructed._

_"I'm an Air Force officer just like you Colonel and just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside doesn't mean I can't handle whatever you can handle," Sam said._

That was a mouthful…_Jack thought__. If she was on his team for longer than one mission he was gonna go insane!_

_"Oh this has nothing to do with you being a woman," he said sitting down finally. "I like women…I just have a little problem with scientists."_

_"Colonel I logged over 100 hours in enemy airspace in the Gulf War. Is that tough enough for you? Or are we gonna have to arm wrestle…"_

"What're you thinking about?" Sam's question cut through his thoughts.

"You," he said, smiling. "When we first met."

"Me too," Sam said. "You've changed since then."

"Not as much as you have," Jack said. "You were so…"

"Military?" Sam suggested.

"Yeah," Jack replied. "It wasn't till I saw the other side of you, this side…the real side…that I began to fall in love with you."

"I think I had some kind of…movie-star crush on you before I met you," Sam smiled to herself. "You were someone I looked up to and admired and there I was being sent to be a part of your team…I guess I wanted really hard to prove myself to you."

"It worked," Jack grinned lopsidedly.

She slipped her arm around his waste and rested her head on his shoulder as they swayed slowly to the music. "Yeah…"

"Cassie's kissing that guy," Jack said suddenly.

Sam moved back slightly and looked at Cassie and the guy. "He looks kinda familiar…"

"Yeah, its Feretti's son," Jack said.

"Ah," Sam replied, leaning her head against Jack's shoulder again, still watching Cassie and Feretti Junior. "Isn't it cute?"

Jack mumbled something incoherent which Sam was pretty sure she didn't want to hear anyway. She smiled.

"I'm glad everything turned out this way," she said.

"You gonna come fishing now?" Jack asked.

Sam laughed. "All the time."

OoO

"Isn't it adorable?" Cassie asked, sitting down at the table.

Teal'c and Daniel both looked at her.

"Who is that boy you were with CassandraFrasier?" Teal'c asked.

"Who? Oh…Jason? Ah…no one…we met a couple of weeks ago at a party…and he just happened to be here…and…I didn't come to sit down to be interrogated!" Cassie said.

"He looks nice…" Daniel said, eyeing Jason Feretti.

"That's because he _is_ nice," Cassie said. "But why are you watching me and Jason when you could be watching Sam and Jack?"

"Because we observe ColonelCarter and O'Neill every day," Teal'c replied.

"But look they're dancing together!" Cassie said.

Daniel smiled. "We know, we were watching them while they were watching you."

"Oh…" she said. "I'm so happy for them!"

"As am I," Teal'c replied.

"Yeah…" Daniel agreed.

"They did however take their time," Teal'c stated.

"Yeah, I remember knowing there was something between them back when you guys found me…you know where…and that was almost eight years ago!" Cassie said. "Jeez talk about taking your time! Oh look they're coming over!"

The three of them looked up to see Sam and Jack walked up to their table, hand in hand.

"Thanks for saving us seats guys," Jack said.

"Well, we thought you looked busy…" Daniel said.

Jack grabbed two chairs from the table next to them and gave one to Sam before sitting down in the other one.

"So what have you guys got planned for the honeymoon?" Daniel asked.

"Well I was thinking a nice little fishing trip to Minnesota…" Jack smiled. "And Sam just agreed to come fishing all the time…"

Sam smiled back at him.

**A/N: Thanks for reading guys! Just one more chapter! **


	18. Epilogue

**A/N: **_This is it guys!! The last chapter!! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and all of those who have read and not reviewed!! Here we go…_

**Epilogue**

****

_6 Years Later_

****

"MUM!"

Sam cringed and turned back around to face her son.

"I'm not tired," he grinned at her.

"Chris…it's ten o'clock…mommy has to be at work really early tomorrow," Sam said.

"Why?"

"Because I have an important job to do," Sam said.

"MUM!"

Sam sighed. "I'll be back in a minute Chris…"

"Yeah you always give her more attention than me," Chris mumbled as she walked into the room opposite his.

"Yes Grace?" Sam looked at her daughter.

Her brown hair and eyes matched the image of the little girl she had seen aboard the Prometheus seven years earlier. Only this girl was much younger.

"You woke me up," Grace said, rubbing her eyes. "Now I can't sleep."

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Because I'm not tired," Grace said.

Sam sighed. "OK, would a bedtime story help?"

Grace nodded.

"Chris get in here!" Sam shouted.

Chris ran across from his room, his blanket still wrapped around him. "This room has girl germs."

Grace seemed too tired to notice the insult.

"Can you tell us more about the Goold?" Chris asked excitedly.

"You know that's classified, Chris."

"Dad!" Chris said, turning around and hugging his Dad's legs, looking up at him. "Please?"

"I don't like the Goold Chris, they scare me," Grace said.

"Chris, we can't tell you stories that would scare your sister," Jack said.

"But I'm older than her," Chris said. "I get to choose!"

"I'm older!" Grace said. "By five minutes!"

"Well I'm a boy!" Chris shouted back.

"Kids…quiet or you'll wake Janet," Jack said.

Chris and Grace immediately fell quiet, not wanting to have to share their story time with their three-year-old sister. The two five–year-old twins always argued with each other but when it came to fighting with their sister they stuck together.

"So can you tell us bout the Goold?" Chris jumped onto his twins bed and leaned against the wall. "Come on Grace, they're not that scary!"

Grace pulled a face.

"Aaaw, chicken!" Chris said.

"I am not!" Grace said.

"Guys," Jack said, sitting down next to Chris. "How about we tell you about another alien race…called the Asguard."

"Oh I like them!" Grace said.

"Aw man! They're boring!" Chris said.

"I wouldn't call them boring…if it wasn't for the Asguard none of us would be here right now!" Jack said.

"Really? Why?" Grace asked.

Sam smiled as she sat down on the bed next to Grace. "Our buddy Thor saved us many times…actually the last time he saved us was a few days before your father proposed to me."

Grace looked at her. "Really? You almost died?"

Grace gave her a big hug. Sam smiled.

"I don't want you to die!" Grace said.

"I'm not going to die Grace, I work on Earth now, I barely go off-world," Sam replied. "And your father quit a long time ago."

"Why'd he quit?" Chris asked. "I wanna work for the SGC."

"I quit…" Jack looked across the bed at Sam. "Because your mother and I weren't allowed to be together while I was still in the Air Force."

"Really?" Grace said. "So it's like Romeo and Juliet?"

"What do you know about Romeo and Juliet?" Sam teased. "You can't read properly."

"Yeah, I read some of it…but it was boring!" Grace said.

"You can read Shakespeare?" Jack looked at Sam. "She inherited that gene from you…"

Sam smiled.

"So, you quit the SGC to marry mom?" Chris looked at him. "But now you have a boring life…you don't get to fight aliens and stuff…"

"I chose what I valued more," Jack smiled at Sam.

She felt the same warm feeling she did every time he said something like that to her. Even after so many years of being married she still felt the same for him as she did the day he asked her to marry him.

"But aliens!" Chris said.

"Almost nine years of fighting aliens was plenty…I decided I'd rather be with your Mom," Jack said.

Chris looked disappointed.

"That's so romantic!" Grace said. "Two star-crossed lovers!"

"OK, you're way too smart for your age," Jack said. "More Simpsons for you."

"Yay!" Grace said.

"Hey, how come I don't get to watch the Simpsons?" Chris asked.

"You can watch whatever Grace watches," Sam said before Jack came back with a comment Chris wouldn't appreciate this late at night.

"What you doing?"

They all looked at the door to see Janet standing there holding her teddy.

"You woked me," she said. "Can I join too?"

"Nope," Jack said, standing up. "We're all going back to bed now!"

"Aw," Chris whined.

"Bed…now," Jack said. "Or you can't watch the Simpsons tomorrow."

Chris bounced off Grace's bed and ran back to his room.

Sam stood up and tucked Grace in. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Mom," she said, rolling over and closing her eyes.

Sam walked to the door and turned the light off, picking up Janet and carrying her back to her bedroom.

"What were you talking bout?" Janet asked.

"About your Mommy and Daddy," Sam said.

"Can I know too?" Janet asked as Sam lay her down on her newly bought bed.

"Some day, not right now," Sam replied.

"OK," Janet said. "Night."

"Goodnight sweetie," Sam said, walking out and turning the light off.

She stepped out into the hall to find Jack standing there.

"Boy are they tiring," Jack said.

"Oh you love it," Sam grinned.

"And I thought one was hard…" Jack said.

"I should really get to sleep, I have to be at the SGC at six tomorrow," Sam said, eyeing the clock.

"Yeah," Jack said.

"Do you miss it?" Sam asked, picking up the sad tone in his voice.

"Sometimes," Jack replied. "But it was all worth it, for this."

Sam nodded. "I've been thinking maybe I should leave, get a normal job…"

Jack shook his head. "We cope fine – the world needs you Carter…"

The slip back to her familiar nickname brought back the many memories of their time on SG-1.

"Sam…" he corrected himself.

"It's OK…sir," she grinned widely.

Even after six years he still called her Carter. At first it had started as a nickname that stopped there being any kind of personal level between their name calling. He was 'Colonel' and she was 'Carter'. Of course all that had changed in recent years, but when they were talking about the SGC he always seemed to still call her by the old nickname.

"Very funny Sam," he said, kissing her on the forehead. "Go to sleep."

"Hmm, I'm going," she replied.

**A/N: **_That's it guys!! Hope you enjoyed it and thanks so much for all of you who read and reviewed :D! _


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